NonNeglecting Week
by Kmoney
Summary: The employees of NERV are forced to show the Children attention for a whole week. How will things turn out?
1. The Day the NERV employees cried NO

Disclaimer: I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion. It is owned by the rich folks at Gainax.  
  
A/N: I'm not going to ask for reviews, or anything. I'm just making it clear that its my first Eva fanfic and I'm not done yet.  
  
In a large conference room sat all the important members of NERV. Ritsuko, Misato, Kaji, some other important folks that will have no names as well no dialogue in, and of course both Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki and Commander Ikari. Oh, yeah and the Psychiatrist, Dr. Mitsuki Hoshi.  
  
"Reading over the funding we have for this month," Fuyutsuki said, "I am sorry to say that we will have to cut one our sections pay for two months and then route it like this through all of our sections until the funding are returned to normal."  
  
"So which sections gets screwed first?" Misato asked. She just knew it was going to be hers.  
  
"Section 12." Fuyutsuki said.  
  
"You remember the last time we cut the janitors pay checks?" commented Kaji. "NERV was very dirty for a few months."  
  
Ritsuko shuddered. "Please...let's not go there."  
  
"So, aside from the subjects touched here today, does anyone have anything else to add or can I dismiss you?" Commander Ikari asked.  
  
That's when IT happen. Dr. Hoshi rose her hand.  
  
Commander Ikari's eyes landed on her. "Yes, Dr. Hoshi?"  
  
Pulling out a folder, she opened and began. "Well, it seems that the Children are being neglected."  
  
The room was completely quiet. Everybody knew that, so why did she have to make it public as to where they would have to do something about it. She stared at everyone in the room before narrowing her eyes.  
  
"You do remember the agreement that was sign between NERV and the Child Protection and Non-Neglecting Organization?"  
  
"Otherwise known as Social Services." Ritsuko muttered.  
  
"Yes, we are quite aware of the agreement signed." Fuyutsuki answered.  
  
"Well, let me remind you that Article seven, line twenty-three states that if the Psychiatrist see any signs of the Children's conditions being developed and not well taken care of and/or lack of proper attention given to them, let's say for example sake: the First Child living alone at such a young age, we have every right to come claim said children and place them in our custody."  
  
There room was quiet once again.  
  
"So what do you want us to do about it?" Misato asked.  
  
The good doctor stood up, she flipped her shoulder length black hair behind her and pointed at each and every member in the office. "I hereby order you to spend an entire week with the pilots or they will taken away. One entire week devoted to showing them the affections in which they cannot get from their parents." Dr. Hoshi ordered.  
  
"And does the fact that Angels attacking not come into play?" Misato threw in. That had to have her freeze. But it didn't.  
  
"Then of course you would have to attend to it, but it wouldn't be like your leaving the country or such. Just spend a little week with them and let them know that the adults they work with do care about them."  
  
"Ya know, they're not normal." Ritsuko stated. "Mentally unstable, emotionally unstable, I think Asuka's bi-polar, Rei's possibly suffering from Schizophrenia and possibly trying to kill herself, and Shinji's no most likely suffering from a deep form of depression...the fourth-"  
  
"Rei's a schizo?" Misato wondered cutting Ritsuko off and blinking rapidly. "Since when?"  
  
"Let's not even go into that." Kaji retorted.  
  
Dr. Hoshi sighed. "You people are missing the point. I don't care if they all want to commit suicide! Its your job to make them feel loved. Now do it like the adult-parent-employer figures you are!"  
  
That's when everyone turned to Commander Ikari, waiting for him to just shut this lady up.  
  
"If Social Services is unhappy with the way the Children are treated then we shall improve it. For one week each one of you will occupy the Children somewhere where they will enjoy themselves."  
  
"You too Commander!" Dr. Hoshi tossed in. Commander Ikari only nodded.  
  
"So who gets the first day?" Kaji asked.  
  
-End Prologue-  
  
A/N: So who will get the first day of 'Non-Neglecting Week'? and just what's in store for the Children whose lives are centered around being well neglected? All this and more when the first chapter pops up. 


	2. Day One: Pt1 Misadventures with Ritsuko

A/N: Yea, well I would first like to thank all the folks that reviewed and hope this lives up to what you were expected. Of course this isn't the whole day, just part of it. I thought it was getting too long and should break it into two chapters instead of one.  
  
Also I want you guys to tell me what you think about those flasback like things. I kinda went crazy with them in this chapter, but I'll try to cut down in the next.  
  
One more thing: I'd like to thank Foolish wise monk for their idea on a day spent with Gendou. I honestly had no idea and that sounds like a great one.  
  
Standard Disclaimer applies. Disclaimer: No I don't!  
  
Kmoney: Yes you do! *grabs disclaimer and gags it* Unless of course otherwise noted! HA HA HA HA!  
  
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Day 1: Part One: The Misadventures With Ritsuko  
  
Asuka Langley Sohyru was, in simple terms, annoyed. Why was s Wthat answer was quite simple. Instead of being able to hang out with her friends, she had been ordered by Dr. Akagi to occupying Third Child, Shinji Ikari to obtain the First Child.  
  
If your weren't aware then know this; Asuka was not a big fan of the First Child.  
  
"So, do you even know where the First lives?" Asuka asked the quiet Shinji.  
  
Shinji nodded, "Yeah, I've been there a couple of times..."  
  
Asuka's eyebrow rose. "Really? Why?" she then grinned. "Are you and Wondergirl doing some extra curriculum activities?" she teased.  
  
Shinji blushed, and stumbled with his words. "Wha...we-we're not....doing...anything!"  
  
Asuka shook her head as they walked up the stairs to Rei's apartment. The construction noise not oblivious to neither of them.  
  
"And just why in the hell does Wondergirl stay here of all places?" she grimaced, "you would think with the way she was she wouldn't like a place this...this dirty." she looked around and refrained from touching the rail on the stairs when she saw the dust and grime coated over it.  
  
Shinji shrugged. "I think she just doesn't care." He took a look around and then at his hand that he let grabbed the rail and frowned lightly while he wiped it on his pants and kept walking.  
  
Asuka was a little ahead looking at each apartment number and glancing back at Shinji to see when he would stop. Finally he stopped and stood in front of a door. Asuka walked back and decided she would be the one to ring the doorbell.  
  
Had Shinji really been paying attention he would have noticed the red head over to his left pressing the doorbell button furiously and growling at the same time. Instead he was lost in his own thoughts as he took in the view of the run down apartment building. 'Maybe I should talk to Misato about getting NERV to move Ayanami to a better area of the city. Not only is it really dirty and falling apart, but its really out of the way when going to school.'  
  
"For CHRIST SAKE! Answer the door!" Asuka screamed.  
  
The noise was more than enough to snap Shinji back to reality. He looked over at Asuka and gave a small smile. "I'm sorry..."  
  
Asuka snapped her attention to him, glaring all the while. "FOR WHAT!? Why are you apologizing!?"  
  
"..B-because I should have told you earlier...t-that the doorbell is broke..." he stammered under Asuka's glare.  
  
She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll knock." And with that, she knocked. And knocked, and knocked some more. "I know she's a little...well, ya know, but can't she hear the door when someone knocks?"  
  
Shinji looked at Asuka with a blank stare. "She's a little what?" he inquired, his curiosity starting to peak.  
  
Asuka smirked. "Ah, the words I think I shall not say to such an immature, lost, and idiot boy such as yourself, Shinji."  
  
"Oh....o-okay." he muttered looking away.  
  
With that out of the way, she knocked once more. "Open this door, First Child, or I'll kick it down!" she warned.  
  
"We could always just open it." Shinji suggested remembering all the times he came over and the First Child's door not being locked. "Its not like its locked or anything."  
  
Asuka rolled her eyes in Shinji's general direction. "And how would you know that?"  
  
Shinji blushed slightly. "Well...we-well, I...the times I've come over it was always open." he explained.  
  
"And how would you know it was open if you had not just opened it yourself?"  
  
Shinji blushed harder. "Well, when...she never answered, I just kinda walked in...."  
"You little PERV-"  
  
Before she could finish that comment, Shinji quickly twisted the door to Rei's apartment and walked inside. Asuka stopped in mid-sentence as she started inside.  
  
"Wow, err...cozy?" she said, not quite sure how else to describe the apartment, while following Shinji.  
  
Without looking at her, Shinji continued down the hall and into the main area. His voice was heard from there. "Don't forget to take off your shoes."  
  
Asuka looked down and indeed she had forgot to do that. It was one the habits she was still unaccustomed to no matter how many times Misato screamed to her about taking off her shoes.  
  
{Flash; Sometime at Misato's place}  
  
"Geeze," Asuka said, looking down at her feet still in shoes. Why was this such a big deal again? "there just shoes..." she finished shrugging.  
  
Misato's left eye twitch and she reached to place her arm around the second child. Asuka watched her every move unaffected and waiting for something to happen. Misato smiled...or forced herself to smile politely at the Pilot of Unit 02. "Asuka..." she started sweetly, patting the girls shoulder understanding. "I know your not use to the Japanese ways with you not being Japanese and all, so let me help you remember this one" Asuka suddenly felt Misato's arm encircle around the girls head and pull her till she was at the Captain's side and being squeezed in a headlock. "When entering a house, or pretty much a lot of places you remove your shoes! GOT IT!?  
  
Asuka nodded while failing her arms about cursing in German. She finally switched back to Japanese. "Let go you crazy woman! I get it! I get it! Take off my shoes!"  
  
Misato nodded, but did not remove Asuka from the headlock.  
  
"You can let go now!" Asuka growled, trying to reach to punch the captain.  
  
"Your still wearing your shoes..." came calm the reply.  
  
Asuka groaned.  
  
{Flashback over; Rei's apartment}  
  
Asuka rolled her eyes at the memory and took off her shoes, placing them by the front door with Shinji's and the other pair of shoes she just had to assumed were Rei's. As she laid her shoes down she noticed the mailbox stuffed till it could be stuffed no more with mail.  
  
******  
  
In the other room Shinji was looking around with a somewhat frown upon his face. 'With her personality you would think she was a little neater.' he commented himself.  
  
That's when he heard the scream.  
  
"HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!" Asuka cried, pointing at the mailbox. "Wondergirl's got so much shit here you could harbor a criminal in it."  
  
Shinji only sighed and frowned again when he saw what Asuka was talking about. "So she doesn't check her mail? Big deal!"  
  
Asuka turned around. "I bet you the lights don't work in this place!"  
  
Shinji proved her wrong when he reached over and flicked on the light switch and the light came on.  
  
"Okay, so she pays her bills online..." Asuka muttered as she walked pass Shinji with a handful of mail in her hand.  
  
Shinji looked at her nervously confused. "Wh-what are you doing? You can't just go through Ayanami's mail."  
  
Asuka rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to open any of it. I have some form of respect and manners. Unlike you, Mr. 'I'll just walk into her house without permission'"  
  
"Bu-but this has nothing to do with what we're here for..."  
  
"Yeah, well," Asuka replied searching through the letters, "what we're here for isn't here, so while we're waiting I'll keep myself busy."  
  
Knowing full well that he couldn't change her mind Shinji just kept quiet and looked around. 'This is frustrating...' he thought as he continued to look around. "That's it!"  
Asuka looked up from looking through Rei's mail. "What's it?"  
  
Instead of replying, Shinji grabbed a plastic bag that was lying on the floor and started picking the balled up paper on the floor.  
  
Asuka said nothing. She just returned her attention to flipping through the mail.  
  
******  
  
Shinji had managed to end up back in the hall following the trail of papers. He paused in his work when he heard water running. Then the blood in his body ran cold as he remembered the last time he was in Rei's apartment when she got out of the shower.  
  
{Flashback; Rei's apartment sometime ago}  
  
THUD!  
  
Shinji knew he had fallen and didn't want to open his eyes in fear of watching Rei laugh at him, but eventually he did. He opened one then the other and screamed like a little girl.  
  
"OH MY GOD!"  
  
Rei just appeared to be staring at the ceiling not really paying him any mind. Eventually he'd get off she figured.  
  
"Oh-oh...ahh...crap....I'm..I-I-I'm s-sorry Aya..."  
  
"Will you get off?" Rei demand quietly.  
  
Shinji slowly stopped speaking and stepped back. 'This blows...this really blows.' he thought. 'Well if I'm gonna die at least I'm sort of happy about why.'  
  
{Flashback over; Rei's apartment present time}  
  
*********  
  
It was now Asuka's turn to blinked and walk to the hall when she heard a wail. She blinked several more times after that when she caught Shinji in the hall screaming and pointing at the bathroom door.  
  
"Um...dork, are you all right?" she asked.  
  
"Aya-Aya...Ayana..." Shinji stuttered, pointing the door. Asuka waited for him to finish his sentence. Finally Shinji calmed down long enough to speak coherently. "Ayanami's in the bathroom." he whispered.  
  
Asuka shook her head. "You mean to tell me I've wasted a good ten minutes of my life waiting for Wondergirl when she's in the bathroom!?" Shinji nodded. He was for sure Asuka was about to take her angry out on him. But to his surprise she simply shrugged and waved the hand with some letters in her at him. "Well, I noticed that a nice portion of the letters that I did grab are from guys in our class. Wondergirl's got admirers."  
  
Shinji turned his head from the door to Asuka again. "Really?" he squeaked, but then cleared his throat. "I mean, you don't say?"  
  
"Oh, yeeeaaaa, Aida even sent her some mail."  
  
Shinji's curiosity was at its peak and he started over to Asuka. "Really!?"  
  
Before he made it over to her, she held out her hand to stop him. "Hey, idiot, its not like we can open it, so why don't you just knock on the door and tell Wondergirl to come on."  
  
"S-sorry." He replied and returned the door. After a second he knocked. There was no reply. "Hmm, that's strange."  
  
Asuka looked up once again. "What's wrong now!?"  
  
"She didn't answer." He replied, knocking once more.  
  
Asuka finally losing her attention on Rei's mail went next to the door with Shinji. "Are you sure she's even in there?"  
  
"Well, the shower's running." he replied. "Can't you hear it?"  
  
Asuka quieted down and listened. Indeed she heard the shower. "Okay, so maybe she is in there. She might be one of them type of people that can't hear anything when distracted. I mean look at her at school. She's completely oblivious of things when she's staring out that window." 'Mental note: Find out what's so damn interesting outside.' Asuka thought.  
  
'Note to self: Find out what Ayanami is staring at and why.' Shinji noted.  
  
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Asuka rushed. "Go in and tell her to hurry up."  
  
Shinji flushed, turning very red. "I-I can't just walked in..."  
  
Asuka looked at him dully while blinking. "This coming from the same guy that just let's himself into her apartment. Now you want to think about how morally wrong and perverted your actions are."  
  
Shinji looked downcast. She was right. Walking in her apartment was just as bad as walking into the bathroom. "I'm sorry."  
  
"I'm not the one you're probably going to walk in on while I'm getting dress, so don't apologizes to me." Before he could say anything, she continued. "Anyways, I'll go in if it makes you so very upset."  
  
She could see the relief wash over his face at her comment. With a roll of her eyes and a loud sigh, she reached for the door to open it. Turning the knob, she noticed that it wouldn't move and the door was not opening.  
  
"Wonderful! Who the hell bothers locking their bathroom door when they totally disregard locking the front door...and anyways who locks the bathroom when they live alone! Wondergirl is confusing!"  
  
Shinji could not reply. He was in fact engrossed in trying to read the letter Kensuke sent Rei by holding it up to the light. So far all he caught was 'My dearest Rei...'  
  
"Shinji give me a card!" Asuka interrupted, holding her hand out, but not looking at him.  
Shinji quickly lowered the letter and blushed lightly thinking Asuka saw what he was doing, but when he saw she wasn't looking his sighed in relief. "What did you want?" he asked.  
  
"A card!" she repeated, holding her hand out.  
  
Shinji blinked. "A credit card?"  
  
"Yes! Give me a credit card."  
  
Shinji frowned. "I don't have one..."  
  
Asuka growled and finally turned to Shinji. "Listen, dork! Just give me a freakin' card. Give me your NERV card."  
  
"W-why?" he questioned.  
  
"So I can open the door, catch the First Child off guard, take exposing pictures of her and blackmail her into doing my bidding, and then sell the pictures on ebay." Asuka watched as Shinji held his mouth slightly opened after her answered and she growled when he was even more reluctant to hand it over.  
  
After a minute of staring at Asuka, Shinji placed his NERV ID card back into his wallet. "Well, I know your not really going to do all that, but I'm still not going to give you my card."  
Asuka placed a hand on her hip and glared. "And why not?"  
  
"Because if you break it, I'll have to pay for a replacement and get scolded for being careless with this one. But you can have this card."  
  
Not caring what kind of card it was, Asuka snatched it out of the Third Child's hand and turned back to the door. Shinji returned to trying to read the letter still in the envelop. He had heard when Asuka got the door open and he felt when she flicked his card back at him. But still he squinted up at the letter and tried to read. "Ever since the day I saw you enter..." he made out.  
  
Asuka made her way into the bathroom and towards the shower where the curtains were blocking her view. She slowly pulled them apart and her eyes widen. "Well, I guess that kinda explains why she didn't answer the door..."  
  
Still in the hall and trying to read, Shinji's attention was finally diverted when Asuka called him.  
"Third Child get in here! And bring a stick!" was the called.  
  
Shinji came, though he didn't comply with bringing the stick, but none the less he entered the bathroom still not aware that he was doing the very thing he didn't want to do in the first place. He looked around at the scattered clothes and absently picked them up and dropped them in the hamper before making his way next to Asuka. "So what's up?"  
  
Asuka looked at him and noticed he had yet to look down. She also noticed he didn't get the stick like she ordered him too. "Where's the stick?"  
  
Shinji blinked at her and gave her a shy smile. "I thought you were kidding."  
  
Rolling her eyes, Asuka decided not to make a big deal about a stick, instead she just pointed down. Naturally Shinji's eyes followed her hand and that's when he relies where he was.  
  
"AHHH!" he screamed stumbling back, "You tricked me into coming the bathroom! And...and....and now you made me look a Ayanami while she was naked! AHH! IT LIKES LAST TIME!"  
  
Asuka growled and smacked Shinji across the back of his head not fully comprehending his wails. "Calm down and besides I think we've got bigger problems than you seeing her naked. I think she's dead."  
  
Shinji gulped as he looked at the very still Rei, floating in the bathtub while the shower water rained down on her.  
  
"And on a lighter note: Who the held takes a shower and a bath? I mean its either one or the other. You can't do both."  
  
"It actually looks kinda relaxing. Floating in the tub while the shower rains down on your body..." Shinji whispered with a small grin as he continued to stare at Rei.  
  
"Well, of course its relaxing when your dead!" Asuka screamed. Shinji snapped out his fantasy and looked up at Asuka from his spot still on the floor.  
  
"You don't really think...?" he questioned, unable to finished his question. Instead he just gestured with his eyes to finish it for him.  
  
Asuka shrugged. "She looks dead to me! So what do we do! Where are we gonna hide the body?"  
Shinji looked thoughtfully at the roof. "Gee, I don't know--HEY! Wait a damn minute, we can't hide the body! That'll make it seem like we killed her."  
  
"With all the crap we just touched in her apartment, they'll probably think it was us." she countered. "Besides, we can clone her."  
  
Shinji looked up at Asuka annoyed. "We are NOT, I repeat NOT cloning Ayanami." he let out a deep breath. "Besides, do you even know how to clone people?" he added mockingly.  
  
"Well, in theory." She answered. "But not practice and what better person to practice on then the First Child?"  
  
"Asuka..." Shinji growled low.  
  
"Okay, fine we won't clone her..." she said. "But what are we going to do?"  
  
Shinji stood up and shrugged. "I don't know, maybe call the cops."  
  
"I would like to first let you know that when they get here and they start pointing fingers I'm going to say you did it." She admitted.  
  
"Wow, Asuka, and here I thought we'd both just go down together." he commented dryly.  
  
"Hey, you're the one that doesn't want to hide the body." she said simply.  
  
He glared at her, she didn't see it because she was thinking of a nice hiding spot for Rei's body, but he did. After a second something dawned on him. "Hey, maybe we could bring her back."  
  
"If we're not cloning then I don't see how." Asuka threw back.  
  
"How about we try the old-fashioned way? Ya know CPR?" he suggested.  
  
"And if this doesn't work, then could we hide the body?"  
  
Shinji's left eye twitched. "NO! There will be no more body hiding talk while we're standing around this particular body." To add to his order he pointed at Rei.  
  
Asuka looked slightly annoyed at his outburst, but she nodded and kept quiet.  
  
"So anyways, go give her CPR, Asuka." Shinji suddenly said, gesturing lightly over his shoulder.  
  
"Why me!?"  
  
"Because she'll probably think I'm a pervert if I do it!" he explained.  
  
"Oh, and it won't look weird when I do it. I mean if I was in her position I'd want the guy in the room to perform it than another girl. I mean unless of course, Wondergirl is, well, ya know?"  
  
Shinji shook his head. "I have no idea, but you can still go do it."  
  
"Oh, no, you're not wimpin' your way out of this. If we ain't hiding nothin' and I ain't blowing any air into anyone!" she folded her arms over her chest and looked off to the side.  
  
After a minute Shinji gave up and headed over to the body of Rei Ayanami. He leaned down in the tub and pinch her nose. Behind him Asuka was looking at how things were going so far. That's when her eyes widen and a very guilty grin spread across her face.  
Shinji hadn't seen what Asuka saw because his eyes were closed, but his blood froze at what happened next.  
  
"What are you doing, Ikari?" the soft voice demanded..  
  
Shinji knew that you just can't get away with certain things twice and being over Rei for a second time while she was naked was a sure way to sign a death warrant.  
  
"Well, hey," Asuka spoke sheepishly, "at least she's not dead..."  
  
Rei for her part was still lying in the bathtub. Well, with a boy still hanging over you and all, it was pretty hard to sit up. She also noticed that he was still pinching her nose and reached up to remove his hand.  
  
"Ah...ah..." Shinji stutter as he watched Rei remove his hand from her nose. "I....I...."  
  
"Will you move, please?" Rei asked quietly and politely.  
  
Asuka figured she'd better help Shinji move since he was having a bit of trouble doing so himself. So she grabbed him by the back of his collar and pulled him like a master pulled their dog. He stumbled back on the floor still in shock as Rei rose up from the bath. Finally Asuka was able to see why it was so hard for her to hear them. She had headphones on.  
  
"Wow, and the whole time I thought you were just goin' deaf." she muttered.  
  
Rei heard her, despite Asuka being low about, but choose not to say anything. Instead she turned off the shower and pulled the curtains closed. She decided that she should find out just why they were there. "Why are you here?"  
  
Asuka finally snapped out of her surprise and shook her head clear. "Well, we were sent by Dr. Akagi to get you so we could go to the meeting. I think we're all going to be in trouble for being late." Asuka stopped trying to see if that's all she wanted to say and remember it wasn't. "Oh, yeah, you might want to check your mail once in awhile, you've tons of letters from the guys in our class and some random other crap that I care not to remember about." Before Rei could or if she even cared to reply, Asuka continued. "Well, anyways, we'll be waiting outside for you. Hurry up."  
  
"Very well." Rei spoke up.  
  
Asuka didn't reply she just dragged the still very much stunned Shinji out of the bathroom and closed the door.  
  
********  
  
Ritsuko Akagi was a little annoyed today, so when Major Misato Katsuragi popped up at her apartment to just tease her it didn't help the situation.  
  
"Misato..." Ritsuko groaned.  
  
"Hey, don't get mad at me because you drew the bad card!" Misato replied defensively. "I was actually surprise it wasn't me that drew the card."  
  
Ritsuko sighed when Misato brought up that particular event. It was not one of her more happier memories of late.  
  
{Flashback; The NERV conference room}  
  
"So, who goes first?" Kaji Ryouji asked.  
  
When no one seemed to want to volunteer themselves to show the Children a good time Sub-commander Fuyutsuki found a great way to pick the unfortunate soul. With a clear of his throat he had the attention of the people in the room and from behind his back he drew a stack of playing cards.  
  
"These shall determine who will be first." he started. With that remark he slowly pulled out the number of cards to match the number of people who were to be involved in the task of showing the Children that they care. "The one to draw the Ace of Spade is the one that takes the first day."  
  
And with that the members pulled cards.  
  
{Flash; Ritsuko Akagi's apartment}  
  
She sighed again when she recalled how everyone around her started breathing again when she pulled the Ace of Spade on the first go. It was a trick. It had to be a trick. She figured all the cards were Aces of Spade, but upon turning them over she relies that her luck just sucked and she should just stick to knowledge instead of luck.  
  
"Poor Ritsu..." Misato started, grinning from ear to ear.  
  
Something then dawned on Ritsuko as she looked over at Misato. It was a realization. "Why aren't you jumping at the opportunity to spend a day with the Children?"  
  
Misato looked at the roof in deep thought. "That's quite simple my friend. I'm ALWAYS spending time with the kids. I now think a day...or six without them is what I need."  
  
"But that's just Asuka and Shinji you're always around what about the other three?"  
  
Misato shrugged and picked up one of Ritsuko's passing cats. "Well, let's see here. Going down the list I'll tell you why. First the First Child. Now tell me can you really picture Rei anywhere actually acting NORMAL?"  
  
Ritsuko thought over the question for a moment before shaking her head. "No. No I suppose I cannot."  
  
"So what's the point of even trying?" Misato continued.  
  
"I have no clue."  
  
"Exactly. And its not like I didn't try. I mean I really tried to spend a day with Rei."  
  
Ritsuko blinked in confusion. "When was this? I've never heard about it."  
  
Misato glared slightly at the doctor. "That's because I told Rei that if she ever mention the events that transpired that day I'd feed her to a llama."  
  
Ritsuko was about to comment on just how that threat actually kept the First Child quiet, but Misato continued.  
  
"You would think NOTHING would have happen, but EVERYTHING possible did."  
  
"Care to share?"  
  
Misato sighed. "Fine, but if you mention this to anyone I'll-"  
  
Ritsuko nodded while chuckling. "Feed me to a llama, right? Got it."  
  
Misato would have replied, but she just decided to go into the story.  
  
{Flashback; Adventures with Misato and Rei.}  
  
Rei was absently walking down the corridors of NERV when someone grabbed her and pulled her into a room. After getting over the initial shock of being pulled into a random room and by a random person Rei went into defense mode and fought back.  
  
"Hey, let's-" started the voice.  
  
She was cut off when Rei right hooked her.  
  
"Ow...why'd you-"  
  
This was followed by a good punch to the gut from the blue-hair girl to which the person doubled over and grunted in frustration.  
  
"You're pretty strong for such a small-"  
  
Rei followed up the attack by a roundhouse, knocking her attacker to the floor with a unpleasant thud. With that she stepped on their stomach and reached up to pull the chain that would turn on the light. The light came on and Rei's eyes widen just the slightest when she saw who she was standing on.  
  
Misato groaned under the girl's weight and lifted her head ever so slightly.  
  
"Rei?" she started painfully.  
  
Rei stepped off her commanding officer and acknowledge the call of her name. "Yes, Major?"  
  
"Ow..." came the Major's reply and she started to rise off the floor. "Who the hell taught you how to fight?" she rubbed her jaw.  
  
"I took several different fighting styles over the years as ordered by the Commander." came the explanation.  
  
Misato nodded still rubbing her jaw. "Right. I suppose pulling you into a closet would kinda freak you out so this was all my fault."  
  
Rei didn't reply. She had no reason to reply. The Major was talking more to herself than the girl anyway.  
  
Finally Misato rose to her feet, dusted herself off and looked at the First Child. "Well, anyway I need to talk to you."  
  
Rei blinked for a second as she looked at the Major. "Why did you not just call for me?"  
  
Misato grinned sheepishly. "Okay, so I was trying to catch you off guard, and I well maybe...err...HEY who are you to question me!?"  
  
Rei looked down at the ground. "I apologies for my actions Major. Also please forgive me for questioning you."  
  
Misato stared at Rei for a full minuet. Then she blinked for a full minute. Finally she laughed. "Boy, you really need to lighten up Rei."  
  
Rei looked up with a perplexed stare. "Pardon, Major?"  
  
Misato smiled. "C'mon, Rei, I have the rest of the day off. Let's go do something!"  
  
Rei was silent. For more reason than just it being her nature to be silent. Misato noticed Rei's silence and glared slightly, then she grinned.  
  
"I order you to say something."  
  
"What?" the question soon followed.  
  
Misato looked at the roof grinning like an idiot. "I don't know yet, let's go." With that she walked out of the room with as much seriousness you could possibly have after being beat up by one of your charges and coming out of a broom closet that a person could. Rei silently followed her.  
  
{Flash; Ritsuko's apartment.}  
  
Misato glanced at her watch. "Well, look at the time, I have to be at NERV soon."  
  
Ritsuko lifted herself off the floor from her laughing fits. "No..you have to finish the story. I can't believe you let Rei kick your ass. Please finish the story."  
  
Misato glared at her so-called best friend. "Maybe some other time, besides I don't really like being laughed at while I tell someone an embarrassing story."  
  
Ritsuko took a couple of deep breaths. "I'm scheduling a day for us to just sit down and let you finish that tale. I have to know how it could have possibly got worst."  
  
Misato's glare intensified. "I hate you Ritsu, you know that?"  
  
"Ahh, so does a whole lot of other people, but does that stop me?" came the chuckled reply.  
  
Misato didn't reply, she just head over to the door and gave her friend a malice grin. "That's why you drew the card on the first turn! HA! And now you have to spend the whole day with the Kids! Double HA! And...and..." Misato thought for a moment of something else to add. She came up with this. "And....your cats are dorks! Triple HA!" With that final comment Major Misato Katsuragi left Ritsuko's apartment and left a very stunned yet at the same time confused doctor inside.  
  
"My cats aren't dorks..." Ritsuko pouted.  
  
*******  
After unmentionable events passed by two young Eva pilots found themselves again waiting on the third member of their team so they could get going.  
  
"Is there a reason she's taking so long?" Asuka commented, tapping her foot.  
  
Shinji would have replied but he was still trying to read a letter without opening it. So he was next to the window holding the closed envelop into the light to see what he could and possibly find out what the letter was for. Was it a love letter? Or perhaps Kensuke asking Rei a bunch of questions about Eva. The latter was what Shinji expected.  
  
"Oh for goodness sake!" Asuka exclaimed, snatching the letter from Shinji, "Stop being so frikin' noisy and answer my question!"  
  
Shinji blinked and grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, what was the question?"  
  
Before Asuka could go off on him for not listening and repeat her question, they heard the bathroom door open. Without looking in the direction Asuka made her comment. "Oh, so you're finally ready! Great let's go."  
  
Asuka saw Shinji's eyes widen, Asuka saw Shinji blush and 'eep', Asuka saw Shinji squeeze his eyes shut and turn the other direction while mumbling something. Asuka then decided to turn around and what she saw was Rei wearing a towel around her body with dripping wet hair.  
  
"So exactly why aren't you ready yet?" Asuka demanded.  
  
THUD!  
  
"Well," Rei began monotones ignoring the thud, "I tried to ask you two to leave so I could enter my room and get my cloths, but you did not hear me, so I waited and figured you would get the idea, but that seem to have not happen and I am quite tried of waiting..."  
  
Asuka glanced behind her and saw the clothes on the bed. She looked back a Rei. "Well, gee, if you didn't live next door to construction we might have heard you. Anyways, we'll get out your way. C'mon Shinji."  
  
No response.  
  
"Ikari is incapable of replying to your orders at the moment, Second." Rei explained.  
  
Asuka looked down and found an unconscious Shinji. "Idiot." She muttered. With nothing left to say, she grabbed Shinji's foot and dragged him away. "Hurry up, dammit!"  
  
******  
  
A few minutes later, Shinji had come back to the world of the living without having seeing any more naked girls. He also noticed that he was being dragged. Upon further investigation. He noted that he was being dragged by Asuka and Rei. Asuka had his left arm while Rei had the right. Both were staring forward while just pulling him along for the ride. 'I wouldn't drag them if they fainted.' he thought glaring at the backs of their heads. 'But then I suppose they're probably lighter than I am.'  
  
"So, Wondergirl, are you going to tell me what's up with those glasses?" Asuka asked. Shinji noted that this obviously wasn't the first time the question came up since his departure to the world of the fainted.  
  
Rei gave no response.  
  
'I'm just as interested as to where those damn glasses came from just as much as she is.' Shinji thought to himself. 'Maybe my impute can persuade Ayanami to answer. It'll also stop them from dragging me down the street.'  
  
"C'mon, now, First, don't ignore me." Asuka pushed.  
  
"I'm kind of interested myself." Shinji threw in.  
  
Asuka turned around with her usual grin spread across her face. "So the invincible Shinji finally awakes. How were those dreams?"  
  
Shinji avoided that question all together. He simply looked at Rei, who had glanced back as well. "Can we stop dragging me please? I'm not some dead animal on the side of the street."  
  
"Might as well be." Asuka grumbled while letting go of his arm. Rei did the same and he stood up. He frowned at noticing how dirty he was and shook his head knowing it was his own fault for fainting in the first place.  
  
"So anyways," Shinji started, while brushing dirt of his shirt, "who's glasses are those?"  
  
Rei rolled her eyes upward as if thinking about answering the question. She finally looked back down at Shinji, turned around, and started walking.  
  
Seeing that they weren't going to get an answer, Asuka and Shinji exchanged a glance, shrugged in unison, and followed the First Child.  
  
After a few minutes of silence, the next subject came up.  
  
"Ya know who has a cool pair of glasses?" Asuka said.  
  
Shinji shook his head, "No, who?"  
  
"The commander." Shinji's eyes widen slightly; Asuka continued. "Those glasses of his make him all commandy like and when I picture myself in a pair of glasses like those, I get all evil like."  
  
"So," Shinji started, "you basically picture yourself wearing glasses like that all the time."  
  
Asuka was about to blow. She turned towards Shinji with her eyes flaring and was about to pounce when he stopped her with his next comment.  
  
"You know I heard the Commander only wears those glasses because his actual glasses, the ones that let him be able to see, disappear."  
  
Rei looked off to the side. Though neither Shinji nor Asuka noticed.  
  
"Who the hell would steal a pair of glass...es?" Asuka slowly turned her head in the direction of one Rei Ayanami who was admiring the pair of glasses she had clutch in her hand. "Ayanami?" Asuka called in a sing-song tone.  
  
Rei rolled her eyes up to Asuka, who grinned.  
  
"Those wouldn't happen to be the Commander's glasses would they?"  
  
Rei remained silent. Her expression not saying whether they were or not.  
  
"Now that I think about, I remember hearing that when he went to save you, Ayanami, his glasses fell off and after that they went missing." Shinji brought up.  
  
Rei almost, ALMOST glared. 'Mental note: Add Third Child to list of 'people you will kill after purpose is fulfilled''  
  
"And you know what?" Shinji continued knowing Rei wasn't going to reply. "Those glasses look like the ones he was wearing in some of the pictures I have of him."  
  
'Mental note: Kill Ikari very soon.'  
  
"Rei, looks like the cat's outta the bag." Asuka teased. "You have a crush on the Commander and that's why you have his glasses."  
  
'Mental note: Kill Second Child. Kill her sooner than planned'  
  
"Asuka?" Shinji leaned over to whisper while glanced nervously at Rei. "I don't like the way Ayanami is staring at us. Its almost deadly."  
  
Asuka agreed whole heartily. The First was never known to glare or even look deadly, but right about now, her eyes were betraying the expression she was trying to keep. Her eyes were almost on fire.  
  
"Well, why don't we drop the idol chit-chat and be on our way." Asuka decided to say before Rei Ayanami showed that she did have something in her. Shinji quickly agreed and they soon made it over to Dr. Akagi's place.  
  
*********  
  
Ritsuko Akagi slowly made her way from her bedroom to the living. Her expression clearly showing she was annoyed.  
  
'Where are those children?' She wondered. All she wanted with them was give them the motherly attention they didn't get by taking them to the fair grounds and handing over large sums of money so they could go wild and have fun. Ritsuko sighed. Finally she heard talking that sounded like Asuka down the hall and sighed. She then scrunched her face in confusion. She was forgetting something. Something that was very important. She couldn't remember and walked to the back room with one her cats in tow.  
  
There was a ring at the doorbell  
  
"COME IN" Ritsuko yelled from the back. Something was still nagging at her mind.  
  
******  
  
The three Eva pilots entered Ritsuko's apartment and looked around. Asuka expected it to be all out of character with vibrate colors and disco kinda home. Shinji just expected an apartment with books and test tubes everywhere. Do we even want to know what Rei was thinking? Okay fine.  
  
'Something is tickling my nose.' she thought. Then she sneezed.  
  
"Bless you." Shinji said, looking at her.  
  
"....."  
  
"Dr. Akagi!" Asuka called. "We're in here waitING!" Asuka jumped a foot away from where something brushed against her leg. Shinji and Rei just stared at her. "What was that!?" she looked around, and calmed down when she saw what it was. "Oh, its just a cat." She moved back towards the cat. "And what a cute cat it is. I've never seen this type of cat before." She petted the light gray cat with caramel like swirls and it purred. "You're so cute." she picked it up and gestured in Shinji and Rei's direction. Rei moved back giving the cat a slight glare while Shinji petted it between it ears.  
  
"Awww, you're so adorable." Shinji said. "I wonder what your name it."  
  
"A cat..." Rei muttered quietly, almost disgusted.  
  
That got Asuka and Shinji's attention.  
  
"What about it?" Asuka asked, holding the cat to her chest while rubbing its head.  
  
Rei looked at her, then glared slightly at the cat. Then she sneezed.  
  
"Gusendeight." Asuka said habitually. "Anyways, what's wrong with this cute little kitten?"  
  
There was moment of silence as Rei regarded the question. Then she replied. "A..cat..." To which Shinji shook his head and Asuka glared.  
  
"You can't just dislike something for what it is!" Asuka shouted, getting frustrated with the First Child.  
  
"Yes I can." Rei replied frankly. "But that is not why I do not like it. I have a very valid reason for me disliking the cat species." This was followed by another sneeze.  
  
"Bless you." Shinji choose this time to say. "You must be getting sick. That cold apartment does that to people."  
  
"What does my apartment have to do with my current condition?" Rei inquired.  
  
Asuka sighed, loudly and exasperate. "He means that because your apartment sucks and is cold you're getting sick."  
  
Complete silence followed this comment. Then Rei sneezed. Again. This time no one said anything, they just all remained quiet waiting for someone to reply to Asuka's comment. Namely Rei.  
  
"My apartment is not responsible for my current conditions." Rei answered, still not seeing the point in placing blame on places.  
  
Asuka rolled her eyes and stroked the cat. "Okay THEN, what is the cause then?"  
  
Rei didn't answer. She just narrowed her eyes at the cat.  
  
"Now, now, Ayanami," Shinji started. "You can't go blaming things on a cat. Its immature-..."  
  
"HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!" Ritsuko exclaimed as she came bolting down the hallway. "Keep the cat away from Rei! That's what I forgot! Dammit!"  
  
Asuka stepped back a few feet away from Rei as if the blue-hair pilot of Unit 00 was going give her a virus. Rei sneezed. Shinji took a small step back too though his was went unnoticed  
  
Ritsuko entered the living room, snatched her cat away from Asuka, picked up the second one that had been following her and ran.  
  
"HEY! I like that cat!" Asuka shouted after her. Rei sneezed. "Stop sneezing!"  
  
"I cannot help it. I am-"  
  
"You're really going to give us some kind of virus!" Asuka interrupted. "This is some creepy conspiracy against us Shinji! They want us out of the way so Wondergirl can get the spotlight."  
  
Shinji was now thinking this whole situation over. 'Ayanami seemed fine till we entered the apartment. Maybe something's irritating her sinuses...or-'  
  
Before he could think anymore of it Ritsuko returned and ushered them outside. She turned around and started walking around Rei, inspecting her. "You're okay, Rei? I forgot about you being allergic to cats. I'm just glad Ryuu didn't touch you or we'll really have a problem on our hands."  
  
The other two children looked at Rei. "YOU'RE allergic to cats?"  
  
Rei nodded slightly, sniffing a bit  
  
'She wouldn't be if Gendou liked them. Stupid man.'  
  
{Flashback; Some odd years ago}  
  
"I don't like cats, Dr. Akagi," Gendou stated straightforward. "so to refrain from having to see the little bastards during this stage in Rei's life, where she brings strange animals home, I've already had to deal with a turtle, a snail, a bird, a...what was that thing...hmm....damn what was it?" While Gendou fought with his memory to remember the animal in question, just behind him a seven year old Rei is seen pulling a large black and white animal into the house.  
  
"Can I keep it?" She asked.  
  
Ritsuko grinned.  
  
Gendou didn't reply...or well his reply wasn't the one expected. "...it was kind of ugly, OH a baby breaded dragon!" he snapped his fingers.  
  
Ritsuko found herself rolling her eyes and fixing them on the young child pulling the Panda along.  
  
Finally Gendou started speaking again, catching her attention as if he never stopped...or got off the subject. "...And I don't want her to bring home a cat. I just can't handle the bastards. They have too much pride. So, anyway, what I want you to do is make her allergic to them. That way she'll hate them and I'll be happy." Gendou then smirked at her when he saw her glare. "Is there a problem, Doctor?"  
  
"Oh, no. I'll get on that right away." she replied.  
  
{Flash; Outside Ritsuko's apartment.}  
  
Ritsuko shook her head and glared forward. That bastard only did that to piss her off. She knew that was his only reason. She smiled when she had 'forgotten' to inform the girl of her allergic reaction to cats and although she had to deal with the situation from day one the suffering was accepted for what she got out of it.  
  
She remembered everything. Hell, she taped it with a hidden camera she kept on her for moments like this...or revealing secrets from the enemy. Whichever. She remembered that she and Gendou were discussing the making of some weapons when Rei came in sneezing a storm up and lightly rubbing a rash that had formed on her arm as best she could without dropping the cat. Gendou had told her to make it a bad allergic reaction. So she did. Anyways, she remember seeing Gendou's expression.  
  
{Flash; Yet again some odd years ago}  
  
"Rei, what are you doing with that cat?" Gendou demanded, narrowing his eyes at the feline in her arms.  
  
Rei sneezed and replied. "I like it. Can I keep it?"  
  
Gendou blinked for a full minute. "Rei, you're highly allergic to cats, do you really want to keep it?"  
  
Rei, haven't a clue as to what he just said, replied. "Yes."  
  
To which Gendou sighed, and looked at Ritsuko. "She hasn't a clue she's allergic to cats, does she?"  
  
Ritsuko smirked, but did not look Gendou in the eye. Instead her focus remained on the First Child, while she sipped her tea. "Haven't a clue at all, Commander." Was her reply, as a small smile played on her lips.  
  
Gendou groaned and did what a 'father' was suppose to do in a situation. With careful care he forcefully removed the cat from Rei's grasp, walked towards the window while explaining the situation to a young Rei. "Rei, when your highly allergic to something, you don't usually want to keep it as a pet. Especially since your probably going to have irritation all over your arms for about three days. So, anyways, most people tend to....dislike what they are allergic to." He continued his trek to the window, letting himself glance down at Ritsuko when he passed. "Like take Dr. Akagi, she's allergic to strawberries, so she stays away from them. Are you following my logic, Rei?"  
  
"Yes." Came the reply.  
  
Gendou smiled. "So let's just get rid of this thing as fast as possible." And with that Gendou tossed the cat out the window. Tossed the cat out the top floor of a fifty story building. Let's just say, Rei found out that day that cats don't always land on their feet, and if they do, it doesn't always help.  
  
{Flash; Outside Ritsuko's apartment}  
  
"So, exactly why are we here?" Asuka asked, interrupting Ritsuko's moment of flashbacks.  
  
Ritsuko shook her head. "Oh, yeah, well, NERV is being force to have 'children's week' where we show you that we care." She smiled...or tried to give them a friendly smile.  
  
"Ahh..." Asuka said, nodding knowingly at Ritsuko. "Child Services again, I see. When you need them, they don't show, but when you don't care, they pop up like...like..."  
  
"Pop-up books?" Shinji offered.  
  
Asuka shrugged. "So Ritsuko, why you and not the Major?"  
  
Ritsuko's 'smile' faded as she said dimly. "Why, Asuka, I grabbed the Ace of Spades."  
  
Shinji and Asuka understood now. Rei didn't really care one way or the other. She didn't even want to be here. In fact, neither did Shinji or Asuka, but at least they were willing to put up with the situation. Rei on the other decided that since she didn't want to be there that she was free to go and was halfway to the elevator before Section two popped up and turned her back in the direction of Ritsuko, and the other Children.  
  
'This is not agreeable. Most certainly not.' Rei thought, mouth slowly forming into a frown. 'She also smells of cat. This is, yet again, not agreeable.'  
  
"Now, Rei, did you think that you could just run away like that?" Ritsuko asked, her smile returned, but it was almost psychotic. "If I have to suffer so do you!" She laughed...evilly.  
  
Rei was not a happy person.  
  
Asuka was not in a happy mood.  
  
Shinji was confused.  
  
'Mental note: Place Dr. Akagi at top of list of people to kill...'  
  
'Note to Self: Gather large cat population and torture First Child, oh...and kick Ritsuko in the shin.'  
  
'Now, just where in the hell did they come from?' Shinji thought looking at Section Two. 'They're like super secret robots that protects us. Its like that old movie Terminator...'  
  
*****  
Ritsuko Akagi's day was already bad. So the fact that Shinji and Asuka were bickering was not helping her mood. Then there was Rei. She glanced back at the blue-hair girl sitting in the back seat with her eyes fixed out the window. Rei sneezed.  
  
"Gusendeight!" Asuka exclaimed from her position in the shogun. "Anyway, Shinji, you suck and that's the end of this conversation!"  
  
Shinji opened his mouth to prove to Asuka that the conversation was far from over, but she turned around and held her hand in front of his face. "No no. Its over!"  
  
"Bu-but..."  
  
"Silence, Third Child," Asuka stated firmly. "I do not want to result in using force."  
  
The car was quiet. Ritsuko thought that was the end of the conversation. Rei sneezed.  
  
"Oh, for Christ sake, Rei, get over your sneezing fits!" Ritsuko exclaimed. She knew that was far from happening since she pretty much made the allergy very sensitive and being in an closed area where the whole place smelled like cat and had cat fur all over the place didn't help, but she figured the girl would try to stop.  
  
No such luck. Rei sneezed again.  
  
Ritsuko glared forward, gripping steering wheel. If this was how it was going to be overtime she was force to be around these kids, then she'd have to get something for that sneeze. Perhaps a gun...  
  
"I still think Marvel is better than DC..." Shinji muttered to himself, folding his arms and staring out the window.  
  
Asuka's eyes flared and she turned around in her seat again. "Listen! Didn't I tell you that this conversation was over! DC is twenty times better than Marvel and that's that, so there!"  
  
Shinji came up closer to her. "OH, yeah! Well, let's get another opinion."  
  
Asuka looked in Ritsuko's direction. "Who? The good doctor?"  
  
"Please do not put me into your little conflict." Ritsuko demanded.  
  
"Well, actually, I was thinking Ayanami." he explained and looked in the blue-hair pilots directions, "Well, Ayanami, what do you...." Shinji trailed off as he noticed that Rei had yet even acknowledge the fact that he was talking to her. "Ayanami?" he looked at Asuka, who shrugged and turned around in her seat. He looked back at Rei and ever so slowly reached up and poked her in the shoulder. "Ayanami? Hey, can you hear me?" He poked her harder and finally Rei turned around. "Ahh, so...what do you think?"  
  
Rei blinked at him slightly confused. "About what?"  
  
"About DC and Marvel comics. Which one is better!?"  
  
After a moment of staring at the slightly crazy Ikari, Rei answered. "I do not know."  
  
"You should have known better than to ask Wondergirl." Asuka teased from the front seat. "Now just accept that DC is better than your stupid Marvel company and get on with your pathetic existence."  
  
Shinji gave Rei a side-ways glance. "You ever hear of lying?" he whispered, dully.  
  
The only reply they got was sneezing. Lots and lots of sneezing.  
  
'So if just smelling the cat causes this I wonder what happens when the cat touches her.' Asuka thought. 'Must put torture First Child plan in action very soon.' she soon grinned.  
  
"Ahh, this is driving me nuts!" Ritsuko screamed and hit gas. The car started speeding up.  
  
"This proves nothing..." Shinji swore. "I'll...I'll get people's opinions from school! Yeah, that's what I'll do! We'll see which one is better after that! You wait Asuka! You wait!"  
  
"Will you shut-the-hell-up, idiot!?" Asuka commanded.  
  
Shinji huffed and replied back. "You can't tell me to shut-up!"  
  
Asuka turned around. "Well I just did, now shut-up!"  
  
"Why me? Crazy ass children." Ritsuko cried aloud and went faster. "Why me? Stupid half-breeds. German children are annoying. Stupid Commander Ikari's kid!"  
  
The three children all turned their attention to Ritsuko.  
  
"German kids aren't annoying!" Asuka whined. "We're cute and cool!"  
  
Shinji opened his mouth to reply to the comment she made about him, but found no real good comeback, so he stopped himself and tried to think of one.  
  
"And why'd you call Wondergirl a half-breed?" Asuka wondered.  
  
"........" came the reply.  
  
"Well?" Asuka pressed.  
  
"........." The reply came again.  
  
Asuka knowing now she wasn't getting a reply from the good doctor turned to Rei. "Why are you a half-breed?"  
  
"I do not know." Rei replied, not taking her eyes off the window.  
  
"You wouldn't be half-Japanese and half-polish now would you?"  
  
Rei looked at her and blinked with a blank look upon her face. ".....No."  
  
"How about jap and gnome?"  
  
Rei's eyes showed a little confusion at this question. "......no."  
  
"Half gnome?" Shinji wondered aloud.  
  
Ignoring Shinji completely Asuka continued with a smirk. "I know what it is...its written all over your face." She continued to grin. Shinji just turned to Rei to see what Asuka saw. He didn't succeed.  
  
"I don't see anything." he muttered.  
  
"You're half angel aren't you!?"  
  
"AHHHHH!" Ritsuko screamed as she let the car swerve.  
  
"GEEZ, Ritsuko, mind being a little careful with us!?" Asuka fussed.  
  
'Good, that threw her attention off that subject. Let's just hope Rei doesn't answer that question.'  
  
But it wasn't Rei who Ritsuko had to worry about.  
  
"Now what would give you the idea that Rei's half-angel?" Shinji asked.  
  
'I hate my life.' Ritsuko thought with a sigh.  
  
Asuka shook her head while letting out a deep breath. "I was just kidding. Don't take it personal, Third. You're acting like a child." Before Shinji could counter yet again he was stopped when Asuka continued speaking. "Speaking of Children, Ritsuko, where are the other two dimwits."  
  
"Well, the Fourth and Fifth Children both wanted to meet us there instead of coming to my place."  
  
'If I were previously informed of these events I would have done the same.' Rei thought. 'For that matter, why was I not previously informed?'  
  
"Hey, how come they got to know about this stupid 'non-neglecting' week and not us?" Asuka voiced Rei's thought.  
  
Ritsuko blinked and glanced at Asuka. "What are you talking about? Didn't you get the memo? It was posted in the changing room and a letter was sent to your house."  
  
'Maybe I should start checking my mail like the Second suggested.' Rei wondered. 'Still does not explain what happen to the memo in the changing room though.'  
  
{Flash; NERV a couple of days ago}  
  
Touji is running down the hall away from a irate Second Child. He breezed passed The First, Third, and Fifth Children who stepped to the side to let him pass.  
  
"Ahh, geeze Asuka! I didn't mean it that way. I wasn't even looking at you! Who would want to look at you!?"  
  
"FOURTH CHILD!" Asuka bellowed. "I'll get you...you...perverted little weasel."  
  
"I wondered what he did this time?" Shinji wondered aloud.  
  
Kaoru smirked. "If you remember his last comment while in testing that should answer your question. 'Plug suits really enlarge the ass' was what he said, if my memory serves me rights."  
  
"Oh...yeah..." Shinji remembered.  
  
A silence fell over the three.  
  
"Funny," Rei started thoughtfully, titling her head ever so slightly. "I did not know weasel's were perverted..."  
  
Kaoru fell backwards, slamming into the girl's changing room door. And on the other side a memo fell to the floor from the impact.  
  
{Flash; back to the car ride}  
  
"So why didn't we get our letters?" Asuka asked.  
  
{Flash; Major Katsuragi/Pilots Sohyru and Ikari's residence}  
  
Pen-Pen and Misato are sitting at the table.  
  
Misato sits her beer down on a letter with Asuka's name on it from NERV. Pen-pen does the same with a similar letter with Shinji's name on it.  
  
Misato looks down at the letter when she lifts her can. "Hey, I knew these just weren't coasters!" she exclaims. After the initial discover she shrugs and places the can back on the letter. "Oh, well."  
  
{Flash; the car}  
  
"I'll give you two guesses to that one." Shinji grumbled.  
  
"I don't need but one." came Asuka's reply.  
  
The car was silent for awhile, minus the sneezes coming from Rei every once in awhile, but they had gotten use to that.. Finally something dawned on Asuka and she once again spoke.  
  
"So, why weren't we just informed? We're always just usually informed?"  
  
Ritsuko gave her that look that told her that she should just not ask and Asuka changed her mind about getting the answer.  
  
-End Part One of Day One- 


	3. Day One: Part Two: Fair Times

Day One: Part Two: Fair Times  
  
The group of one adult false blonde and three very important children made their to the entrance of the Tokyo-3's Yearly Fair. There waiting at the ticket booth were a group of kids. Two of these kids were just as important as the three with the adult.  
  
"What the hell?" Ritsuko muttered to herself. "Where did the rest of these brats come from?"  
  
Standing at the ticket booth was Touji accompanied by Kensuke and Hikari. Leaning on the other side of the booth was Kaworu with his hands in his pocket and whistling absently.  
  
When the group made it to the ticket booth they were greeted.  
  
"Geeze, took you long enough!" Touji exclaimed. "I was beginning to think that this was a trick of some sort."  
  
Asuka gestured with her thumb in the direction of Rei. "Blame Wondergirl. She's the one that was playing dead."  
  
"I was doing what?" Rei questioned softly and very much confused.  
  
"Don't worry about it." Shinji assured, standing next to her. "In fact, just forget everything that happen in your apartment today."  
  
Rei was about to question that when Ritsuko spoke up.  
  
"Okay, I was only suppose to have five kids. Why do I have seven? I was only given money to please five kids. Why are there seven? I know for a fact that there are only five Children. So, why are there seven here?"  
  
"Do not worry, Dr. Akagi," Hikari assured. "Kensuke and myself are paying for ourselves."  
  
"Well, that's good. Also don't come to me with your problems."  
  
Asuka rolled her eyes and looked at Hikari. "Doesn't she just radiate love?" she whispered.  
  
"I heard that Asuka." Ritsuko sighed. "Anyways, I need a smoke break." She paid for six tickets and handed each Child their ticket and a wade of cash. "You each should have enough money to not have to come back to me till..." Looking at her watch she continued. "5 o'clock, that's when I will feed you and then send you off again. Got it?"  
  
"Yes." came the collective mumbles.  
  
"Good. Should anything happen to go wrong, I'll be by..." She opened the map and scanned for a place where she could stand and smoke. "...the Deer Lounge."  
  
"All the Deer you not really eating." Kensuke quoted.  
  
Ritsuko looked at him emotionless before reverted her eyes back to the map and walking away. "Enjoy yourselves. Oh and remember: We at NERV do know you aren't just tools and we love you very much." she mumbled this and sounded like a broken recorded.  
  
"Wow," Kaworu started a bit surprise. "They sure are really expressing their love."  
  
Still watching the retreating figure of Ritsuko, the next comment was made.  
  
"'We at NERV do know you aren't just tools and we love you very much'?" Asuka repeated. "That sounded like an advertisement."  
  
"What am I suppose to do with this money?" Rei asked, changing the subject. All eyes fell on her.  
  
"Spend it." Touji answered, simply.  
  
"You could just give it to me. I'll spend it for you." Asuka answered with a sarcastic grin.  
  
Rei thought on this for a second. She wasn't really planning to do anything with it. Maybe keep a little of it to eat, but that was all. So giving the money to the Second didn't seem like a bad idea. So after she pulled out a couple of the bills she handed the cash to Asuka and started walking off.  
  
"Shit," Asuka blinked in surprise, "she really gave it to me."  
  
"Now go give it back." Shinji ordered, pointing at the retreating Rei. "You knew she was going to take you literally."  
  
"No," Asuka said honestly, "I didn't think she was going to really give it to me."  
  
"Give it to me dammit." Kensuke commented. "God knows I could use it."  
  
Shinji was getting frustrated. "No! The money is going back to Ayanami."  
  
"I think that might cover my food." Touji added.  
  
"Is anyone listening to me?" Shinji asked, waving his hands. No one was paying him any attention, they were instead looking at Rei's money that rested in Asuka's open hand.  
  
"You don't need it Touji. You have your own wade of cash." Kensuke complained. "Let me have it."  
  
"Hello, its me Shinji Ikari!"  
  
"Why should I give it to you!?" Asuka exclaimed. "I think Hikari should take it."  
  
"Fine, pay me no mind. I hate you all!" Shinji continued to complain behind the circle.  
  
"Actually I think we should give it back." Hikari suggested. "Its not right for us to keep it."  
  
"I just love being ignored." Shinji continued, groaning.  
  
"I agree with the Class Rep." Kaworu spoke up. "Let's go catch Ayanami and give it to her."  
  
"Okay! That's what I said in the first place!" Shinji yelled.  
  
"Yeah, Hikari and Kaworu are right." Asuka agreed.  
  
"No, that was my idea!" Shinji corrected.  
  
Asuka turned to Shinji. "Shut-up, you haven't done anything but whine about how you wanted the money for yourself! It was not your idea, idiot!"  
  
And with that the group started after Rei Ayanami. Shinji stood there for a moment growling and clenching his fists.  
  
"I hate you! I hate you all!" he cried and stomped after them.  
  
********  
  
Rei Ayanami was looking for an exit. Yes they were standing in front of the entrance, but Section Two was standing right there and there was no way they were going to let her just waltz on out, so she went in search of another exit. That was when the calling started. Several people were screaming her name.  
  
"REI!"  
  
"Ayanami!"  
  
"Wondergirl!"  
  
"Hey Sexy Blue-haired I want you in my bed--OW!"  
Touji lowered his hand after smacking Kensuke upside the head.  
  
"Kensuke," Touji cut in, "Don't start that! Not right now!"  
  
Kensuke glared at him and grumbled something. "Okay, fine."  
  
"Miss Ayanami!" Hikari called, cupping her hands around her mouth to amplified the call.  
  
"Wondergirl! I know you can hear me! I know your not--well now I'm started to question that--anyways, get back here!"  
  
Rei frowned. Sure attract attention to her. With Kensuke little description people were now staring right at her. Of course there were no other blue haired girls in this area....or city. Rei was now starting to question if she was the only blue haired girl in the world. Well, natural blue haired girl in the world.  
  
"REI!"  
  
'Might as well turn around and go back.' she thought.  
  
And with that she turned around and headed to the screams. Why were they looking for her anyways? She wondered.  
  
*********  
  
Kaworu pointed when Rei came into site. "Hey, look there she is!"  
  
"Finally! I've wasted precious time looking for her!" Asuka cried. She marched up the blue haired girl, grabbed her hand, slapped the money down in Rei's palm, smiled widely though forcefully, and finally said, "I don't want your money." With that Asuka turned on her heel, and left, grabbing Hikari on the way.  
  
"Oh and don't forget: We at NERV do know you aren't just tools and we love you very much!" she mocked and laughed.  
  
The boys shuddered at that. Rei just stared at the money. If came back and she still didn't know what to do with it.  
  
"Ayanami," Kaworu began, stepping up to her. "why don't I show you just what you could do with that wade of cash?" His grin was almost inhuman.  
  
"Dude, and you said I was doing something wrong?" Kensuke whined, pointing at Kaworu. "Look what he's doing!?"  
Touji observed and didn't see anything wrong. "What is he doing?"  
  
Kensuke glared. "I hate you, Touji, I hate you so very much."  
  
Shinji's mind was filled with thought. 'I'm forgetting something. Something to do with Kensuke and Rei...that's kinda funny. Kensuke and Rei. Wow, Kaworu and Rei look like they are having a very deep conversation over there. I wonder what it could be about...'  
  
"So, have you ever had the sudden urge to just release your AT field and kill our teacher?" Kaworu asked Rei as they began their trek back to the three stooges.  
  
"No."  
  
"Never?"  
  
"Never."  
  
"Ever?"  
  
"You are starting to act very immature, Nagisa." Rei replied.  
  
Kaworu was a bit taken back a little with her bluntness, but replied. "Sorry."  
  
"So are we all ready to go do something fun!?" Touji pleaded.  
  
"Yes...yes we are." Kaworu answered. He then grinned evilly. "But first I have to ask you something."  
  
The three stooges exchanged glances and looked back at Kaworu.  
  
"Go ahead." They said at once.  
  
"You wouldn't get all freaked if I killed our teacher now would you?"  
  
"Nagisa, that is not a question you can ask everyone." Rei stated firmly.  
  
The three boys were just giving the two red-eyed teens weird looks.  
  
"Remind me not to get on your bad side." Kensuke finally said.  
  
"Yea, me too." Touji agreed. "Anyways, let's go."  
  
******  
  
Hikari and Asuka were observing the booths as they pass them by trying to pick one to play first.  
  
"Say..." Hikari started thoughtfully. "Do you really think it was such a good idea to leave Rei with the guys? I mean don't you think she'll be uncomfortable?"  
  
Asuka gave Hikari that look that clearly said: 'Does it really look like I care about Rei?'  
  
Hikari noticed the look and smiled sheepishly. "Right, I guess she's better off there then here."  
  
Asuka rolled her eyes, losing the look and looked around. "Exactly. Besides she'd probably rather hang out with the idiot than with us anyway."  
  
Hikari thought about that. Shinji was probably one of the only people Rei actually cared to talk to so Asuka explanation seemed truthful. "Yea, I guess so. But let's not stay by ourselves the whole time. I want to spend time with the guys too."  
  
Asuka looked from where she was watching the game of darts to Hikari with a grin that clearly spoke what Asuka was thinking.  
  
"Before you say anything, and I mean ANYTHING, Asuka. Shut-up!" Hikari threaten.  
  
Asuka returned her attention back to the game of darts, never losing her grin. She did however shrug and nod her head. "Fine, whatever you want then. No comments coming from this girl. Nope none at all."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Who cares that you have that God-awful crash on Suzahara anyways?" Asuka continued as if Hikari had said nothing, her grin growing as Hikari's blush started. Asuka returned her attention back to Hikari. "But aside from that I also want to go back. I've got a stooge to talk to."  
  
Hikari's blush started vanishing. "Which stooge do you speak of Asuka?"  
  
"Oh, four-eyes. I just have to know if he's got a crush on Wondergirl. I must find out if this is true."  
  
With that Asuka walked over towards the dart game with Hikari following with a perplexed expression.  
  
"Kensuke has a crush on Ayanami?" Hikari questioned. "Since when?"  
  
******  
'Oh, God I love you...' Kensuke thought looking longingly at Rei Ayanami who was being briefed on what the objective of the water game was by Shinji and Kaworu.  
  
"Watch out," Touji warned. "you keep staring and you'll probably burn a hole in her. God only knows where that would lead you."  
  
"Maybe I should tell her what to do the next time around." Kensuke pondered with a silly little love grin on his face. "I could even show her how to...ya know work the gadgets and even probably adjust them for her probably."  
  
Kaworu and Shinji were staring wide-eyed at Kensuke he noticed. He looked over at Touji who had a rather disturbed look on his face.  
  
"What is something on my face?" he asked, wiping at his face. "You guys are staring as if there's a tiny alien on my face. Stop staring at me like that!"  
  
Shinji scratched his head. "Geeze, Kensuke, you're kinda loud." he told the boy.  
  
Kaworu chuckled. "Yeah, you're very loud. One could almost say that we heard you way over here!"  
  
Kensuke gave them a dead panned look. "Don't tell me," he started, sounding awfully unenthusiastic about his comment, "you heard everything?"  
  
Kaworu chuckled again. "Well, only the things you said aloud."  
  
"Which was," Shinji continued, grinning as well. "A whole lot."  
  
Rei suddenly leaned back revealing herself from behind Kaworu. She looked up at Kaworu then at Shinji, then towards Kensuke and Touji. Then she said "Are we not playing this one?"  
  
All eyes landed on her. They figured she either wasn't paying them any attention and missed the whole conversation or was trying to ignore it altogether. In any case she was waiting patiently for them to come to the booth and play the game.  
  
"After this," Touji said, grabbing a gun and taking aim at the hole, "we're going on a ride."  
  
"A ride?" Rei repeated quietly to herself. 'Hmm, this sounds interesting.'  
  
Kensuke grinned. He could sit next to Rei on the ride. All he had to do was put himself close enough so when they got in he could end up next to her.  
  
Kaworu's thoughts were wondering in that same direction as he squeezed his trigger when the game started, but they weren't about sitting next to Rei, no his thoughts were a little more mischievous. 'Oh, how I will enjoy torturing that love-sick boy today. How I will enjoy this indeed.' he would have crackled evilly but well Touji was already giving him strangest look when he had the evil smile.  
  
Shinji's thoughts were a little bit more normal. 'I've never actually had the pleasure of going on a ride. I wonder where Asuka and Hikari wondered off to. I hope they come back."  
  
The race ended with Kaworu being the victor. After receiving a funny looking stuffed monkey they started walking through the game booths towards the rides. "Ugh...does anyone want this monkey?" he asked, holding it up for the group to see.  
  
"Wow, Kaworu, its kinda of weird when a guy accepts a prize won by another guy." Touji commented. "You get my drift."  
  
Kaworu stared at him blankly. "I have no idea."  
  
"Look," Touji started and gestured at Rei who was a little ahead of them with Shinji. "just give it to Ayanami. That seems like the most normal thing you can do with it."  
  
"Ooookay. Hey, Ayanami, catch!"  
  
Rei turned, Kaworu threw the monkey. Rei blinked, ducked, the monkey soared over her head and hit some guy in the back of the head.  
  
"Great catching skills, Rei." Kaworu muttered dryly.  
  
"I was suppose to...catch...it?" Rei questioned, rather confused at why Kaworu threw it in the first place.  
  
The guy who was hit by the monkey turned around and looked right at the wrong person. "YOU!" he bellowed pointing at Shinji.  
  
"ME!?" Shinji squeaked. "ME!?"  
  
"Just because you don't want it doesn't give you the right to throw it at people!" he started marching over towards Shinji.  
  
'Just my luck. I'm going to be beaten up for somebody else's stupid tactics. I wish people would just get it through their heads to remember they're talking to Rei. Now I'm about to be beaten up for it.' "Umm...I'm sorry?" Shinji replied.  
  
"Ya know, Ayanami, when people yell 'Hey, Ayanami, catch!' you are suppose to catch it." Kaworu explained.  
"Oh, I am sorry, I did not hear everything you said. I only heard my name." came the reply.  
  
"CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME!" Shinji cried as the guy started dragging him away.  
  
"Hey, you can't take Shin-man!" Touji protested. "He's...well...he's Shin-man!"  
  
"Besides!" Kensuke added. He suddenly pointed at a random person. "That guy over there threw it!"  
  
The guy released Shinji. "Oh, you must forgive for my actions." With that he turned his attention on the random guy and chased after him. "So you don't like monkey's pal!"  
  
The section two agent who just happen to be the random guy blinked and was taken down to the ground by the other guy.  
  
"The quicker we leave the least its our fault." Kaworu spoke.  
  
"But how does a hastily retreat remove fault from us?" Rei inquired.  
  
"No one will ever know..." Shinji started, dragging the pondering Rei along. "Its kind of like how no one will ever know how many licks it really takes to get to the chewy center of a tootsie pop."  
  
"The world may never know!" Chorused Touji and Kensuke.  
  
After a short moment Kaworu spoke up with confusion evident in his tone.  
  
"What the hell's a tootsie pop?" he asked.  
  
*********  
  
Hikari Horaki bowed in respect and said something she had said just five seconds prior. "Please forgive my friend. She's a little temperamental."  
  
"Damn Gaijin!" Cursed the teenage man. "They are so rude."  
  
Asuka glanced in his direction. The look she gave him spoke volumes of anger and she was about to explode. "Call me that again and I'll feed you to your children."  
  
"Asuka!" Hikari snapped in her direction. Hikari looked at the equally angered man and bowed again. "Again I apologies."  
  
"Don't apologies to him! He ran into me!" Asuka shouted. "He should be the one to apologies!"  
The man glared. "Well, if you were watching out where you were going then you would have saw me, you stupid gaijin!"  
  
Asuka trembled in rage. "Didn't I tell you not to call me that again!"  
  
"GAIJIN!"  
  
"You trottel. And another thing Ihre Mutter!" Asuka started a string of curse words that no one but her knew what they meant.  
  
The anger teenage man glared and grabbed a cup. "GAIJIN! No but a little stupid gaijin!" With that he tossed it.  
  
Hikari groaned. "This is not looking good."  
  
Asuka dodged the cup and stomped towards him, pulling up her arm sleeves. "Oh, I'll show you what this 'gaijin' can do!"  
  
Now noticing just how dangerous Asuka looked and probably was, the young man freaked and started running.  
  
"Oh, now you wanna run!" Asuka shouted, chasing after him. "No one throws stuff at Asuka Langley Sohyru and gets away with it."  
  
Hikari sighed. "This is turning out to be an interesting day. I wonder how the guys are doing. Maybe we'll run into them or something."  
  
*********  
  
"BUMPER CARS!" Touji shouted, leaning forward in rage.  
  
"NO!" Kensuke shouted in equal rage. He pointed furiously at the ride labeled 'Demon Twister' and replied. "We're riding that!"  
  
"No, we're riding the bumper cars!" Touji argued back.  
  
Again the First, Third, and Fifth Children found themselves on the sidelines watching the events.  
  
"Why can't we just ride one then ride the other afterwards?" Kaworu asked.  
  
"Its got to do with that whole male dominance thing." Shinji replied. Kaworu only stared at him, so he explained. "You see once we pick a ride, the person whose ride was picked first will assume leadership and we will always ride the rides they pick for the remainder of the day."  
"Oh." Kaworu nodded. "So why don't we just pick another ride, agree to it and then one of us will be the dominant male?"  
  
Shinji shrugged. "I don't know."  
  
"Why not just ask our opinion?" Rei spoke up.  
  
Again Shinji shrugged. "I don't know."  
  
"We're riding the bumper cars or I'm gonna kill you!" Touji threaten, showing Kensuke a balled fist.  
  
"Hey, how about we go on the slide?" Kaworu offered, trying to extinguish the fire.  
  
Kensuke and Touji glared in his direction. "NO!" they both shouted.  
  
Kaworu frowned. "I'm going anyways." he replied. "C'mon Shinji."  
  
"Actually, I was thinking about playing that game over there while they settle things." Shinji response pointing at the dart game not to far away.  
  
Kaworu's frown deepen. "No, we're going on the slide."  
  
An argument then started between the Third and Fifth Child.  
  
"The Slide!"  
  
"No, the game!"  
  
"Demon Twister!"  
  
"Bumper Cars!"  
  
The First Child stared on. 'This is how wars are started.' she thought absently.  
  
"What the hell are you idiots yelling about!?" came a new, very much angry voice.  
  
The guys all quieted down and looked over to where the First Child was standing. They were however not staring at her because they all knew Rei was not the type of person to even say something along those lines yet alone yell. They knew that voice. It was the voice of the one and only Second Child and she didn't look to please.  
  
"You men and your stupid dominance factors!" Asuka continued. She was already frustrated that she had lost her target in the crowd and then she finds these idiots arguing over what they were going to do next. She'd settle this now. "We're going to play that game right there, then when were done we'll decide like women what to do next!" She pointed over at the horse game and her hard stare harden.  
  
'Deciding like women seems like the right course of action.' Rei thought in agreement while nodding.  
  
Hikari was standing behind her. "Asuka, how do you get men to decide like women?" she asked in a whisper.  
  
The four males glared at her and at one time replied. "WE WILL NOT!" and returned to arguing with each other.  
  
Asuka's eye twitch. "What...did you...say!?"  
  
They continued to ignore her.  
  
"This is becoming quite an annoyance." commented Rei quietly. Not really expecting anyone to hear her.  
  
Asuka and Hikari looked at her in shock.  
  
"Oh my GOD!" Hikari screamed as if someone just shot Asuka. Touji was actually hoping that was the case when they looked in her direction.  
  
"What's wrong?" Shinji asked, panic evident in his tone. He hoped no one shot Asuka. She'd blame it on him and get him back for the rest of eternity.  
  
Hikari looked at Shinji in the same state of shock. "You guys are annoying Rei." she said in a very surprised matter.  
  
Everyone quieted down. Touji sighed and frowned when she answered.  
  
"So Asuka's not dead." he muttered in disappointment.  
  
"What did you say, stooge!?" Asuka bellowed.  
  
"We're annoying Rei!?" Kensuke squeaked. "I'm so sorry, Rei!"  
  
Rei only seem to frown even more. Kaworu noticed this. Shinji thought on this.  
  
'Wow, if we're upsetting Rei, then were really getting out of hand.' he thought intently. 'I wonder just how long we can keep this up before she goes off?' he grinned. 'I'll have to look into that.'  
  
"That does it." Kaworu started. "We're officially just acting like idiots."  
  
Shinji nodded in agreement as his thoughts of annoying Rei further vanish. "Let's just solve this problem in the most mature and reasonable matter."  
  
The other three nodded and they stood in a circle. "Ready?" Touji asked. The others nodded.  
  
"ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS!"  
  
Asuka smacked herself upside the head. "They call this mature and reasonable?"  
  
Hikari shook her head and shrugged. "Boys will be boys."  
  
*********  
  
Kensuke grinned like an idiot as the group of seven stood in line for 'Demon Twister'  
  
'Revenge....' Kaworu thought as he glared at Kensuke. It was not the first time the thought passed threw his thought process and it surely wasn't going to be the last.  
  
'At first I didn't even care. How did I let my male hormones take over and make me act like them.' Shinji thought and sighed. 'Now I have the sudden urge to kill someone. Namely Kensuke.' Shinji blinked when he noticed something. 'He's standing awfully close to Ayanami.'  
  
'My plan is working. My plan is working.'  
  
'Morons, idiots, dumb asses, how many ways can I say how stupid those idiots are acting today.' Asuka thought. She blinked. 'Oh isn't that just so cute, the stooge is standing next to Ayanami.'  
  
'Kensuke is standing real close to Ayanami.' Hikari thought.  
  
'Could 'Suke be more obvious. Its so clear that he's doing that on purpose. I wonder how Ayanami feels.' Touji thought.  
  
Rei looked to her left at Kensuke. She frowned, he didn't see. 'He is standing within my personal space parameter. Surely he knows that he's violating the rules. I must inform him if he does not.'  
  
"So, Ayanami," Kensuke started, moving even closer. "looks like we'll be sitting next to each other."  
"Aida, your are violating my personal space." Rei spoke with indifference. "Please take exactly eleven steps back and all we be returned to normal."  
  
Asuka laughed. She had nothing else to do. Sure she didn't like Rei very much, but the blue-hair girl's straightforwardness was just funny. Also Kensuke's shocked look made it even funnier.  
  
"Asuka, don't laugh at him." Hikari demanded. "He's clearly hurt."  
  
Asuka wiped the tear from her eye. "I'm sorry...." she shuddered, trying not the laugh again. "Its...just...oh my god!" with that she started laughing again.  
  
Kensuke did as she instructed, but he wasn't happy about it. 'Oh man, I can't believe she just said that to me. ME!? I'm her soulmate.'  
  
'That's all the revenge I need.' Kaworu thought, satisfied at the events and snickered lightly.  
  
"So after this what are we getting on?" Hikari asked. She decided that she needed to get everyone's thoughts off of what just happen before they tease Kensuke till he cried. Well they hadn't started but if she made them forget they wanted to it would be great.  
  
"Oh there's no arguing, we are going on the bumper cars." Touji answered. He glared at the other three males. "Right, no disagreements among us?"  
  
Though Shinji and Kensuke caught the nice threat given by Touji, it flew right over Kaworu's head.  
  
"Hey, just why do we have to go on what you say because you say it?" he was starting to like this male dominance thing and he was determined to become the dominant male.  
  
Touji's left eye twitch. "Because I said so."  
  
"Not a very good answer." Kaworu shot back.  
  
Hikari smack herself. 'Great, this again.'  
  
"C'mon, hurry up!" The operator rushed, he gestured wildly for the group to hurry up inside. Kensuke stepped up first followed by the others and they all started looking for places to strap themselves down.  
  
"Okay, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls," the operator shouted in a creepy voice. "Its now time to witness the power of the 'DEEEEEMON TWISTER'!"  
  
"Oh, shut-up and start the ride already!" Asuka interrupted. Who was he trying to scare with that lame intro? Surely not her.  
  
Touji chuckled and looked at Shinji. "Hey, I bet Asuka feels right at home on this ride."  
  
Shinji chuckled to himself while not giving a reply.  
  
The ride started.  
  
Several minutes into the ride...  
  
'This ride is not very entertaining.' Rei thought, keeping her expression of indifference. The only thing is was doing was whipping her clothes and her hair about. And that was annoying. 'Going in circles is not something one should enjoy.'  
  
But apparently people were enjoying it. Others were just downright scared of it. She couldn't figure either out. How could someone feel scared or excited about going in circles?  
  
'We're only going in circles.' Kaworu thought bluntly, blinking the wind out of his eyes and frowning. 'Lilium are strange.'  
  
The ride ended and the seven teenagers stepped off the exit. The guys were looking a bit more flushed up than the girls as they kept trying to keep their balance and kept wobbling around.  
  
"I'm really starting to wonder what God was thinking when He created the male." Asuka spoke, as she watch the guys try to overcome their dizziness. "I mean really that ride sucked! Majorly and they can't even take it."  
  
Hikari stopped next to her. "I'm a little dizzy." she admitted.  
  
"What about you, Wondergirl?" Asuka asked turning around to look at Rei.  
  
Rei focus her attention on her. "No need to worry, Second."  
  
"Well, that's nice." Hikari decided to reply. "Did you like the ride?"  
  
"No." Rei answered flatly.  
  
"Oh. Well, that's errm...nice."  
  
Before any of them could start up another conversation three guys came up to them.  
  
"Hey, good lookin', what fine girls like you doing alone?"  
  
"Standing." Rei answered, truthfully. That's what they were doing.  
  
A little taken back at first, the leader regain composure and said to Rei. "I can put you on your back if you like."  
  
Rei blinked. Hikari gaped. Asuka rolled her eyes. None said anything.  
  
The leader moved a little closer to Rei.  
  
'This is the second time someone has enter my personal space.' Rei thought, narrowing her eyes slightly.  
  
"Here, you can have this. I won it awhile back and don't seem to need it." he held the stuff animal in her direction.  
  
Rei stared down at the animal in his hand and looked back at him. "I have no need for it either."  
  
He blinked. "Oh, well, then who cares. Love what you did with her your hair. What's your natural hair color. Black?"  
  
'Oh my God!' Asuka thought and started to grin. 'I wish I had a camera! I'm loving this. C'mon Wondergirl, give him one of those replies.'  
  
"I have done nothing with my hair. This is my natural hair color." Rei answered.  
  
"Uh-huh, yea sure. You even have red contacts. You're a little wild aren't you?"  
  
Hikari was grinning nervously. 'I was always wondering if that was Rei's real eye color.'  
  
"So, hot mama want to go do some bumping on the bumper cars?" ask one of the other guys as they look at Hikari.  
  
"Ugh....."  
  
"What the hell happen to the guys?" Asuka wondered aloud.  
  
*******  
  
Shinji blinked and turned around. That's when he stopped completely and frowned. 'I knew it was a little too quiet. Touji and Asuka would be arguing right now if she was present. Ayanami and the Class Rep are missing as well.'  
  
"Shin-man, why'd you stop?" Kensuke asked.  
"The girls are missing."  
  
"THEY ARE!?" Touji and Kaworu asked.  
  
"Wow, didn't even notice." Kaworu said honestly.  
  
Shinji ignored them and started walking back. "C'mon let's go find them."  
  
"Fine, fine, but you just lost your turn in picking the next thing." Kensuke said.  
  
"Hey, that's not fair!"  
  
Kaworu and Touji nodded. "It is so."  
  
"Why!?" Shinji whined.  
  
"Because you're the one that wants to go find the girls." Kensuke explained as if he should have known.  
  
Shinji glared but said nothing else. 'Stupid...this is not fair. I wouldn't take their turn because they were worried about the girls.'  
  
*********  
  
"Sir, if you would take thirty steps back away from me you will be close enough to communicate on an 'stranger passing by' level." Rei stated.  
  
The leader was again taken back, but did as he was told. He couldn't figure it out. He put all the moves on this girl and she was not in love with him. He rubbed his hatted head and groaned. 'And she's cute too!' he whined. He was not going to give up. He was going to get a number at least. "Hey, so, wanna give me yo number?"  
  
Rei continued to stare passively. "Why?" she asked innocently enough.  
  
"What do you mean 'why'!? I just want it! I want to call you and get to know you and all that good stuff!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"AHH! C'mon! You're really cute that's why!"  
  
Rei blinked and replied. "You're request has been denied. That answer is not a sufficient reason for me to give you my phone number."  
He dropped to his knees. "THIS ISN'T FAIR!" he cried. 'I'm gonna lose the bet too!'  
  
He somehow had gotten close enough to Rei as to where he could touch her and that thought alone did not make Rei happy. It also didn't help that he grabbed the hem of her dressed and started begging for her number.  
  
"Please remove your hands from my uniform."  
  
'I had to make that stupid bet! Dammit! I knew I should have tried for the red-head.'  
  
"Who told you could touch me!?" That very same red-head yelled.  
  
"AHHHHH!" cried one of his friends as they went flying through the air.  
  
'Or maybe not.'  
  
"You are still touching me." Rei pointed out. "Please remove your hand."  
  
"Asuka, do you think that was such a nice thing to do?" Hikari asked. "I mean Rei's not being violent with that guy."  
  
Asuka grabbed the guy that was trying his chances with Hikari and tossed him as well.  
  
"She's trying to get taken! So back off!" she screamed. She looked at Hikari and grinned when she saw the girl blush. "That was a good enough reason to throw him."  
  
The guys chose that moment to arrive. Touji and Shinji had to literally jump out of the way to avoid a guy smashing into them as he flew by.  
  
"Oh, well, we can now see what happen to the ladies." Kaworu said.  
  
"Hey is that guy graveling at Rei's feet?" Touji asked in amazement. "Rei can make people gravel? Who would have thought."  
  
'If I had known that all I had to do was gravel at her feet and I'd be able to be that close I would have done so already.' Kensuke thought grimly as he watched the guy pulled at her dress.  
  
Rei finally showed that she was now annoyed with the situation. She frowned. The guy looked up and saw her frown.  
  
"You are still touching me." She repeated. "Remove your hands or they shall be removed by force."  
  
"Eep!" the guy let go and stood up. "So does this mean you're not going to give me your number?"  
  
Rei glared. He took a step back. "Right of course. Well it was nice talking to ya, here you can still have this." He dropped the animal in her hand and ran off all the while yelling to himself. "Dammit! I'm gonna owe Bill money now. The guys are gonna rub this in my face. Speaking of which, where are the guys?"  
  
"You see there are other ways to handle a situation than with beating people up, Asuka." Hikari said as she gestured in Rei's direction. "Rei handle that situation quite nicely."  
  
"Hey!" called Kensuke. He peeped from behind the bench he was hiding behind. "Has the devil calmed down or should we come back later?"  
  
Hikari sighed and frowned annoyingly. "She was calm..." she whispered. "Till you said something."  
  
And just prove how much she was right, Asuka's eye twitch and she started after Kensuke ranting in Japanese, English, and German alike. "I'll kill you!" was one of the only sentences everyone was able to full comprehend and Kensuke was running for dear life after he heard it and saw Asuka coming.  
  
"One situation leads to another." whiserped Kaworu.  
  
"Let's go do something and leave the two of them to it." Touji suggested. "Like ride the Bumper Cars."  
  
Hikari groaned. "FINE! We will ride the bumper cars!"  
  
Kaworu didn't like this idea and was about to protest when Hikari turned to him.  
  
"After that we will go on the slide! Now everyone is happy!"  
  
"Actually, I'm kinda thirsty..." Shinji admitted, looking around for a refreshment booth.  
  
Hikari glared at him and then allowed her eyes to fall on the one person who had yet to complain. "Do you have anything to add, Rei?"  
  
Rei stood there for a moment, "No."  
  
Hikari blinked. She really thought Rei was going to add something. Finally she turned away from the blue haired pilot and returned her attention to Shinji and Touji.  
  
"Fine, we'll do a few more things and then eat."  
  
Touji and Shinji exchanged similar glances, which said: 'Who put her in charge?', but said nothing of it and followed after the Class Representative that would always be their class rep no matter where they were.  
  
Kensuke passed them screaming and failing his arms about.  
  
"WHY!? I didn't mean it, Asuka! I really didn't mean it!" he cried.  
  
"Oh, but you did! YOU STUPID STOOGE!" Asuka followed.  
  
Touji and Shinji shook their heads in as one. "Tsk tsk." Both young men said. "He should learn to keep his mouth shut." They briefly exchange a glance, then looked back just in time to see Kensuke vault over a turned over trash can and continue on his way.  
  
Hikari was a bit disturbed at the boys synchronized talking, but kept such thoughts to herself.  
  
Kensuke ran by once again.  
  
"HELP ME!" he screamed at the group, his attention was focus more on Shinji and Touji though. "You're suppose to be my best friends."  
  
Both young men shrugged as one again and replied. "This is a lesson well...or well soon to be well learnt."  
  
"Is that really necessary?" Kaworu asked, giving both suddenly synchronized boys a disturb stare.  
  
Touji and Shinji returned the stare with a blank one and asked. "Is what necessary?"  
  
"Must you continue the synchronize talking?" Hikari choose to explain.  
  
After giving each other a knowing glance, which possibly no one caught, they returned their gazes to Hikari and Kaworu with the same blank look as before.  
  
Possibly no one meaning that Rei Ayanami caught the glance and figured out what they were up to. 'They're doing this on purpose.' she thought to herself. After that little thought she decided that she had been around these people far too long and made her leave as quietly and effectively as possible. Had this been anyone but Rei Ayanami they would have informed Kaworu and Hikari of Shinji and Touji's little game, but Rei simply did not care about affairs that did not concern her.  
Did I mention no on saw her go? I guess I should say that's what happen. No one saw her go.  
  
Kensuke continued to run from Asuka.  
  
"So once we've ridden the bumper cars and the slide," Hikari planned, looking at Kaworu since he was the only person paying her any attention, "we're going to eat and then decide on what else to do. How's that sound?"  
  
"Sounds fine to me!" Touji and Shinji exclaimed.  
  
Kaworu and Hikari ignored them.  
  
Asuka walked up with Kensuke the headlock. "So, are we ready?"  
  
"Yes." Hikari nodded. "We're off to the Bumper Cars!"  
  
"ALL RIGHT!" Touji cheered. "I rule!"  
  
Shinji smacked himself in the forehead. "You blew it Touji; I thought we had that synchronize thing down too!"  
  
"Stooges now and forever!" Hikari and Asuka unison and then laughed.  
  
Kensuke squirm in Asuka's grip. "Ahh, c'mon Asuka let me go. Please?"  
  
"No, this is your punishment for your crimes against the Great Asuka Langley Sohyru."  
  
"Right. Shall we be off?" Kaworu suggested, gesturing in any given direction. "Don't want to be behind schedule or anything like that."  
  
They all agreed and set forth to ride the bumper cars.  
  
*******  
  
Meanwhile....  
  
Ritsuko Akagi lounged in her chair at the "Deer Lounge" and read up on the current news, which was something she never got to do quite often being an employee of NERV and all. So she indulged in the fact that she was finally able to know what was going on in the outside world and be apart of it rather than just it being there and her being here.  
In just a few seconds, Ritsuko's was going to learn that some things will always catch up to you. Especially if you're an employee at NERV.  
  
"Dr. Akagi, where are the Children at this current time?" questioned a woman in a stern tone.  
  
"Off doing kid things I suppose." Ritsuko replied, nonchalantly without taking her eyes off her newspaper.  
  
"You suppose?" the voice questioned again, this time with some edge.  
  
Ritsuko, once again not taking her eyes off the paper, replied. "Yes, I suppose that's what they should be doing. But who knows maybe they decided that kid things weren't their forte and decided to crush a building with an Eva. All things considered they'd probably have more fun doing that then playing at this fair anyways-wow, who would have thought such a healthy man would contract such a deadly sickness quickly."  
  
"Dr. Akagi, are you even listening to yourself?" The woman asked, flatly.  
  
"No, I suppose I'm not listening to myself. I find that listening to myself is a part of my job at NERV and since I'm away from NERV I choose not to listen to myself unless it deem important. Hmm? I didn't know Tokyo- 3 had a soccer team. There not bad either. Who would have thought? Uh, I really AM missing out on the world."  
  
Growing frustrated with the good doctor, the woman snatched the paper and tossed it aside. Ritsuko got a look and the woman. Then she frowned.  
  
"Oh, Dr. Hoshi, what brings you here?" Ritsuko asked.  
  
Dr. Hoshi's brown eyes flared. "Dr. Akagi, where are the Children!?"  
  
Ritsuko looked left. Then she looked right. "Hmm? There not right here that's for sure."  
  
"No duh!" Dr. Hoshi screamed. "Now, where are they!?"  
  
"NERV perhaps?" Ritsuko genuinely wondered.  
  
Dr. Hoshi shook her head fiercely. "No! They are not at NERV, Dr. Akagi."  
  
Ritsuko thought long and hard. Long and hard for Ritsuko Akagi usually brings results of such magnitude that she could possibly solve world hungry, but at this moment and on this subject, Ritsuko was drawing a blank. After all the Children weren't her responsibility, they were Misato's.  
  
"I honestly haven't a clue as to where the Children would be. You should ask the Major. She usually keeps up with them."  
  
Dr. Hoshi's eyebrow twitched. "Dr. Akagi, did you forget why you were at the fair?"  
"Yes, actually I have. I just figured I was going AWOL."  
  
"Did you forget the agreement between NERV and Social Services?"  
  
Ritsuko nodded. "No, I haven't."  
  
"Do you know what today is?"  
  
"Monday? No, wait its Tuesday. I don't really keep up with the date anymore."  
  
"Its Monday, Dr. Akagi." Dr. Hoshi answered calmly. "Anyways, I shall explain to you what's is going on. You were assigned to spend the whole day with the Children. Is this all coming back to you?"  
  
After much thinking on the subject, the information did returned to Ritsuko and she finally knew why Dr. Hoshi was here.  
  
"Oh, Dr. Hoshi, you're here to check on the Children, well I haven't the clue where they are so why don't we go find them." Ritsuko stood and walked ahead of Dr. Hoshi as if everything was all right and it was normal to forget about children.  
  
Dr. Hoshi was a balloon ready to pop. "I swear these people at NERV have no shame! They don't even keep up with their kids! ARGH! I have a good mind to take them away. That'll show them all!"  
  
"Dr. Hoshi, are you all right?" Ritsuko asked, turning to the other doctor with concern.  
  
Dr. Hoshi snapped out of her little world and looked at Ritsuko. "Oh, I'm fine Dr. Akagi. Let's search for the Children now."  
  
"Right...if you say so."  
  
*********  
  
When not here, we're there!  
  
"Take that!" Touji screamed, running into the back of Shinji's car.  
  
Shinji jerked forward and slammed against his seat. "Ow, Touji, that hurt!"  
  
"Ha ha, no pain, no game. Deal with it, we're all Eva pilots out here."  
  
Kensuke chose that moment to make his present's known by slamming into the side of Touji's car, sending him skidding off somewhere.  
  
"I haven't had the pleasure of such a job! So don't rub it in, Touji!"  
  
Shinji scanned the area for his next target. 'Let's see here: Touji, no, he just got creamed by Kensuke, Asuka: NO! I won't see the end of the day. Hikari? Ah, no, she doesn't deserve it. Ayanami....hmmm...? Hey, wait a second...'  
  
"Where's Ayanami?"  
  
*********  
  
Elsewhere....or Where else?  
  
Rei Ayanami strolled through the crowd searching for a way out of this place of hell. Yes, to Rei Ayanami the Fair was a place of hell and she figured she hadn't done anything yet to deserve such a punishment. Not only had this place made the other Children act just, well, strange, but it was filled with people she didn't know and frankly didn't ever wanted to know.  
  
'There must be away out of here.' Rei thought, her eyes darting from area to area.  
  
Something usual happened at that exact moment, something Rei Ayanami would not have expected and she surely did not enjoy.  
  
"WHY HELLO THERE LITTLE GIRL!?" exclaimed and all to happy giant pink elephant. He had somehow stepped in front of Rei, blocking her path and greeted her with extreme happiness.  
  
Rei was not happy about this.  
  
"Oh, little girl, you look sad. Have you lost your mommy?" asked the elephant in a sad tone of voice.  
  
"No." came Rei's dead reply.  
  
"You're daddy?" wondered the elephant.  
  
"No."  
  
"Hmm...?" pondered the elephant. "I know, you lost your dolly wolly."  
  
There was a pause and Rei's stare harden. The elephant took her stare as a no and decided another approach.  
  
"You look sad, do you need help?"  
  
Rei, despite herself found herself saying something vaguely familiar. "I don't need your help, you stupid elephant." She blinked at her comment and wondered why most of that sounded like she had said it before.  
  
"Well, someone's being a spoil sport. Let's go find your parents so they can tell you treat others with respect." the elephant scolded.  
  
"You're nothing but a useless elephant." Rei replied. She, somehow, and unknown to her, was taking pleasure from tormenting this poor elephant man.  
  
Taken back at her comment, the elephant clutch his heart and took a step back. "Oh, you hurt my feelings. You need a hug."  
  
"You're nothing but an annoying, useless elephant." Rei continued.  
  
"Hey, you're not being nice. I'm telling your mother."  
  
"Such a useless animal should be dealt with properly." Rei said, casually.  
  
"AHH! I give up!" the voice suddenly changed from a cute and squeaky voice to a deep manly voice. The head of the elephant suddenly came off to reveal a man in his late forties, balding at the head and with a unkept bread growing on his face. "I'm so sick of you kids today!"  
  
"OH MY GOD!" screamed a little girl as she pointed at the man. "Mommy, Elphy's changed into a monster! Protect me mommy."  
  
Rei raised an eyebrow and continued to stare at the man. All around her children were screaming and crying and running to their parents.  
  
"You see what you did?" cried the man. "Now I'm probably gonna lose my job because of kids like you. Why couldn't you just smile and do what the rest of them do? But no you had to make things complicated. I hate your kind."  
  
'How does he know I'm an angel? I must have him eliminated.' Rei's eyes narrowed at the man. 'Quickly.'  
  
The man not sure if he really enjoyed the deadly gaze Rei was giving him started to look around the area nervously. Its amazing how an area clears when little kids don't like what they see and neither do their parents. "Right, ya know, sorry about that girl, I'll just leave now."  
  
Turning to make a run for it, Elphy...or the man acting as Elphy ran right into a orange hexagon field.  
  
"No, elephant," Rei started, eyes glowing, hair fluttered. "there is no escape for you!"  
  
Elphy gulped. He should have just left her alone.  
  
*******  
Once again...we bring you...THE CHILDREN  
  
After exiting the ride and Shinji telling everyone about the missing Rei, the group set out on a quest to find her and get something to eat.  
  
"So, we're not going to get to go on the slide?" Kaworu asked.  
  
"We will," Hikari assured. "We just need to find Miss Ayanami."  
  
"Why do we need to find wondergirl again?" Asuka asked. Again. For the seventh time.  
  
"Because who knows, maybe we left her behind and she's alone and sad." Touji answered.  
  
"I didn't ask you, Stooge!"  
  
"Well, I answered anyways!" Touji shouted back.  
  
Asuka growled. Touji growled.  
  
"Here we go again." Kaworu said, shrugging and sticking his hands in his pocket.  
  
"I'M GONNA GET YOU WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT AND...."  
  
Tuning out the argument the four other children continued forth in search of Rei and lunch.  
  
"Hey, weren't we suppose to meet up with Dr. Akagi at the Deer Lounge around this time?" Shinji asked.  
  
Kaworu looked at his watch. "Wow, we've killed a lot of time doing nothing."  
  
"That's because this fair sucks!" Kensuke announced. "I'm ready to go home."  
  
("That's why you're mother is a elf!") Asuka yelled.  
  
"Yea, I'm kinda bored too. We're doing more walking than anything else." Shinji agreed.  
  
Kensuke, still trapped in whatever world he was trapped in, continued to rant as if Shinji hadn't said a thing. "How could such a place lose my bride to be?"  
  
Shinji looked at Kensuke with a look that told that he knew exactly what was going on in Kensuke's mind and was tired of it.  
  
("You're dad licks beats off your ass!") Touji cracked back.  
  
"Kensuke's in his 'Rei is the only one for me' world again." Announced a weary Shinji.  
  
"Oh, really?" Hikari's curious reply followed while she raised an eyebrow for effect. "I always wondered what he was yelling about during these types of moments. Now I know."  
  
("Don't worry, my love, I shall find thee and protect thee from harm!") Kensuke ranted.  
  
"How long will he be in this world of his?" Kaworu asked, already annoyed with Kensuke's ranting.  
  
Shinji shrugged. "Don't know. Depends."  
  
Kaworu groaned and looked forward away from Kensuke, Touji, and Asuka.  
  
"This day will not end..." he silently cursed to himself.  
  
However, Kaworu's prayer was about to be answer. Answered in the form of an angel alarm.  
  
"Ahh, man!" Touji whined. "I don't wanna!"  
  
"You don't do anything!" Asuka shouted. "You're backup you stupid monkey!"  
  
"And what backup I am too!" Touji countered with a grin.  
  
'Idiots!' Kaworu thought and ran towards the exit with Shinji in tow.  
  
********  
  
In a place deep within the bowels of Tokyo-3  
  
Major Misato Katsuragi was a bit confused as she stared at the black haired man by the name of Makoto.  
  
"So, wait, the angel is...where again?"  
  
Makoto gulped and answered. "The fair..."  
  
"And the casualty number is....?" Misato waited.  
  
"Currently zero." Maya choose to answer.  
  
"What....the....hell?" Misato said. She turned and looked up at the Commanders and said: "WHAT THE HELL!?"  
  
Both Commanders exchanged a glance and looked back at Misato.  
  
"This is most unusual." Fuyutsuki said. "But we all know who it is?"  
  
'Oh she's gonna get it...' Gendou Ikari thought, squeaking his hands in fist. 'Oh, she's gonna get it good. I'll stick her in that tank for a week after this...'  
  
"So, where is it?" Misato asked.  
  
The bridge bunnies sweatdropped.  
  
"It vanished, Major."  
  
"Right, of course," Misato replied. "Giant building size monsters just vanish after killing no one!"  
  
"The Major seems upset." Fuyutsuki pointed out. "Do you think its that time of the month?"  
  
Gendou's tighten his gloves again and said: "God save us all if it is."  
  
Fuyutsuki bowed his head. "And on the seventh day, God decided women should have a time of the month."  
  
"Amen." both Commanders muttered.  
  
"What the hell are you two up there mumbling about!?" Misato shouted. Turning to glare at the Commanders. "Don't think I don't know what you're talking about! I'll come up there!"  
  
"A hasty retreat is in order." Fuyutsuki suggested.  
  
"Another trip to Antarctica seems about right." Gendou continued.  
  
-End Chapter 2-  
  
A/N: Yes, I suppose I dragged this chapter on long enough. I felt that was a nice place to end it. So anyways, stay tune for the next installment. Later! 


	4. Intermission

Intermission 1: Discussions

  
  


Dr. Hoshi sat at her desk shuffling through papers. She paused for a moment to take a quick glance at the door before returning her attention to the ever important papers that laid in front of her.

  


One particular folder was opened. This simple green folder was labeled 'First Child: Rei Ayanami' and next to that was a picture clipped of said child. The doctor reached over after neatly placing her other files in her draw and picked up this file and began to read.

  


"First Child: Rei Ayanami, past: confidential; mental status: unstable–like the rest of the Children..." Dr. Hoshi sighed and looked at the door again. Her face scrunched up in frustration. "Where the hell is that girl?"

  


There was a knock at the door right after Dr. Hoshi spoke and she looked back towards it. "Come in."

  


The door slide open and in walked the First Child. She stopped for a moment to survey the room then rested her eyes on Dr. Hoshi.

  


"You wanted to see me, Dr. Hoshi?"

  


"Hello to you to Rei." Dr. Hoshi reply. When Rei just stood there blinking at her she decided to get to the point. "Rei, I've called you in to ask you a couple of questions. Don't worry it'll be brief. I also have to talk to the other Children as well."

  


An uncomfortable silence passed between the two. Rei stood there, standing, waiting. Dr. Hoshi sat there, staring, waiting. Finally Dr. Hoshi began. 

  


"First, I want you to take a seat." she gestured lazily at the seat across from her. Rei did as she was instructed. Dr. Hoshi searched through her draw and withdrew a recorder. "Okay, let's begin."

  


*********

  


"Okay!" Kaji announced, "Let's begin!"

  


"Are you sure this is a good idea, Kaji?" Misato asked. "I mean what kind of way is this to decide who gets stuck with the Children today?"

  


Kaji grinned at the object of his affection, "Why, my dear Misato, it's a great idea."

  


Misato rolled her eyes. "Its just...well...do you think the Commanders will actually come ?"

  


Before Kaji could answer her question, the door to the conveniently empty room opened and in skated the two Commanders. Yes, they were skating, for they are wearing roller blades.

  


I guess I should start from the beginning. You see the nice group of mature adults at NERV could not decide who should take the Children today, so good ol' Kaji came up with the idea of having a roller blade contest between the remaining candidates for the job. So now in this conveniently empty room was now set up like a roller blade arena and ready to be used. 

  


I suppose your also wondering how Kaji manage to convince the commanders to such an idea.

  


{Flash: Commander Ikari's office}

  


Kaji and Misato enter the office.

  


"You wanted to see us, Commander Ikari?" Misato reported.

  


"Yes. Someone has to spend the day with the Children. Since Dr. Akagi has already taken her turn, it is now between the four of us." his eyes rolled in the direction of Fuyutsuki to show that he was not referring to himself in the 'we' sense.

  


"Okay." Kaji replied. "So whose going?"

  


"My foot hurts." Misato suddenly announced. "I can't do it."

  


Kaji looked at her and then held his back. "I slipped on the floor, I hurt my back."

  


Commander Ikari's eyes narrowed at the two. "Yes, I'm sure your problems are very severe, but I do not care. One of you will go today."

  


"Well, that's not very fair." Misato muttered. "Your in this just as much as we are."

  


"I will go when the time comes." Ikari said.

  


It was quiet for a while before Kaji said:

  


"Say why don't we hold a contest? It'll be fair that way."

  


Ikari glared. "No, you will just do it because I'm making you."

  


Misato thought quickly and blurted out. "I'm going on strike! This is unfair servitude!" 

  


Fuyutsuki looked at Ikari. "We better do it before her mood swing kicks in. We don't want what happen yesterday to happen today."

  


Gendou sighed and nodded reluctantly. "Fine, I will agree to this contest."

  


Kaji grinned. 

  


{Flash; back to the conveniently empty room}

  


The four candidates for torture were standing in a line behind a line. In front of them was Ritsuko who held a gun in one hand.

  


'I could kill them all right now and take over NERV.'

  


"Ritsu..." Misato started, "the bullets are blank."

  


Ritsuko stared at her friend in complete shock. "How did you...?"

  


"Oh, come on," Kaji added, in a tone saying that it should have been obvious. "You really think we can trust each other with each other lives in here."

  


"I suppose not."

  


Gendou cleared his throat. "Can we get this over with?"

  


"Oh, yes, of course." Misato and Kaji chorused.

  


Ritsuko held the gun over her head. "Ready....set....GO!" she shot the gun and they were off.

  


**********

  


"So, Rei, how does this make you feel?"

  


Rei continued to stare at the woman. "It makes me feel nothing."

  


"Okay. So how does being an Eva pilot make you feel? Do you feel like your better than other people?"

  


"No."

  


"Oh, how about special?"

  


"No."

  


"Do you have lots of friends?"

  


"No."

  


"How do your parents feel about this?"

  


"Dr. Hoshi, you know I do not have parents."

  


"Right...right, I forget that sometimes. Well, anyways, let's continue."

  


"Okay."

  


"Are you lonely?"

  


"Yes."

  


Dr. Hoshi blinked and looked at Rei for a moment. "You're lonely Rei?"

  


Rei looked off to the side. "No I am not, Dr. Hoshi."

  


"Oh, I thought you said yes for a moment. Anyways, let's discuss what happen yesterday."

  


"I simply took care of that creature because he had information he should have not possessed." Rei explained.

  


Dr. Hoshi stared at Rei at length. Then she looked off to the side, then back at Rei utterly confused. "What are you talking about? I want to know how the trip to the fair was."

  


"Then please disregard everything I just said." 

  


"Ugh...right. So did you have fun?"

  


"No."

  


Rolling her eyes, Dr. Hoshi thought. 'Here we go with the 'no' again?' "So Rei, what didn't you like about the Fair?"

  


Rei looked down in thought. "It was....it was...."

  


"It was...?" Dr. Hoshi urged.

  


"It was...."

  


"Yes...."

  


"Too crowded."

  


Dr. Hoshi shook her head with a small smile on her face. "Fairs are like that, Rei."

  


"And not enjoyable in the least."

  


"Oh, really? Well, why do you think you didn't have fun?"

  


"I do not know how to have fun."

  


'Right, of course, sheltered childhood.' Dr. Hoshi replied in her mind.

  


"It also had the other Children behaving strangely."

  


'You kids are always behaving strangely.' "Rei, let's not get into the others, okay?"

  


"Yes, ma'am."

  


"So we're gonna have to end this so I can talk to the others, so I just have one more question: How was Dr. Akagi during the trip?"

  


Rei frowned and Dr. Hoshi noticed. 

  


"Was she mean?"

  


"No." Rei answered.

  


"Oh, then what happened?"

  


There was a silence before Rei answered.

  


"Dr. Akagi has cats. I am allergic to cats."

  


***********

  


Misato bent over the unconscious Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki. Just behind her Commander Ikari was calmly and at length telling Kaji that if the old man was dead, he was gonna get it.

  


"Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki?" Misato called, she reached out and poked him in the side.

  


When the race started Kaji and Misato took off and both were neck and neck the whole race. Ikari didn't try so much, so he just went at a moderate pace. Now Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki's problem was that he didn't know how to roller blade and so he was all over the place. (Incase you were wondering Gendou helped Fuyutsuki to the arena.) So Fuyutsuki was lagging behind trying to keep himself balanced. He was thus far doing pretty well in keeping his balance till a suddenly happy Misato and Kaji, who were reliving childhood memories, zoomed by, grabbed the old man and dragged him with them. During one of the more sharper turns they both let go and sent Fuyutsuki on his way. 

  


Now Gendou was minding his own business, hands behind his back as he skated on his way. That was till Fuyutsuki came zooming by screaming for his life. After contemplating whether he should save the old man or not Gendou made his decision, but in waiting it was too late and Fuyutsuki flipped over a rail and crashed to the ground. Not only did he probably hurt himself, but lost by default for stepping...or in his case flipping out of the assigned track area.

  


So we bring you back to the now, where Misato was leaning over the Sub-commander hoping she'd still have a job in the morning.

  


The old man's eyes open. Misato smiled. "Oh, great your alive!"

  


******

  


Dr. Hoshi stared at the annoyed Asuka and started the questioning.

  


"So Asuka, how does this make you feel?"

  


"This is annoying!" Asuka answered, glaring at the woman.

  


"Okay. How about being an Eva pilot. How does that make you feel? Do you feel better than other people."

  


"Yes." Asuka replied, grinning.

  


Dr. Hoshi was a little take back, but continued. 

  


"Do you feel special?"

  


"If you mean in the good sense then yeah."

  


"Do you have a lot of friends?"

  


"I'm the most popular girl in school." 

  


"How do your parents feel about this?"

  


Asuka shrugged. "The hell if I know."

  


"Then with friends I suppose you're not lonely."

  


"OF course not!"

  


Dr. Hoshi nodded and continued. "So let's talk about yesterday."

  


"He shouldn't have tried to hit on me!"

  


Dr. Hoshi found herself yet again confused. "What?"

  


Asuka smiled sheepishly. "Nothing."

  


"Oh, okay. Let's go on then."

  


"Fine...fine.."

  


"Did you have fun?"

  


Asuka thought about it. "Not really."

  


"Oh, what wasn't fun about it?"

  


"Umm...maybe because it sucked."

  


"I suppose that's a good enough reason." Dr. Hoshi smiled and looked at her watch. "Great, one more question and your free to go."

  


"Thank God." Asuka sighed. "This was getting annoying."

  


"Right. So how was Dr. Akagi during the trip?"

  


Asuka sat there and thought. After a minute of thinking she replied. "How the hell should I know!? She wasn't with us! She went off after saying some really corny things and I didn't see her till the angel alarms went off a little after four o'clock."

  


Dr. Hoshi shook her head. Asuka crossed her arms over her chest and grunted.

  


"Can I leave NOW!?"

******

  


Fuyutsuki was not a happy sub-commander. He was in fact not a happy man either. He almost felt like someone was plotting against him. Well, someone other than the people he knew were plotting against him. 

  


"I don't see the logic in that rule." He growled. "I was technically forced out of the legal boundaries by two of my opponents, but yet I still get disqualified."

  


"Well..." Kaji began, a smirk making its way across his face. "There were never really any rules establish saying that your opponent COULDN'T force you out of the legal boundaries."

  


"But at the same time rules saying that the opponent COULD force you out were not established." The old man counter.

  


"Why establish rules for what you can do?" Misato asked. "Usually people say the 'can'ts' and leave out the 'cans'."

  


Fuyutsuki found himself getting angrier as the minutes past.

  


"And either way you'd be doing this." Kaji pointed out. "Might as get it over with and laugh at us when we have to do more ridicules things to decide who goes next."

  


Fuyutsuki thought on his logic and came to the conclusion that Kaji was right. He also came to relies that he could now tape the stupid things they did and have blackmail on them for later events.

  


'Ahh...I'm so smart I amaze myself sometimes.' Fuyutsuki thought with a small smile. "Okay, fine, just get them to cage nine by eleven." With that the now happy Sub-Commander set off to cage nine to wait for his job for the day to show up.

  


********

  


"How are you today, Shinji?" Dr. Hoshi asked.

  


Shinji fidgeted around in the leather chair for a minute before replying. "Oh, I'm fine, Dr. Hoshi."

  


Nodding, Dr. Hoshi continued. "That's good to hear. Well, I'm just gonna ask you a few questions. Nothing too hard, so don't worry."

  


Shinji took a nice deep breath and calmed down just a tad. 'Wow, I'm glad this will be easy.'

  


"Shinji, how does this make you feel?"

  


"How does what make me feel?"

  


"This, the situation."

  


"Oh. Well, I'm a little nervous."

  


"That's a bit normal I suppose. So how does being an Eva pilot make you feel? Do you feel better than other people?"

  


"Being an Eva pilot makes me feel like a tool and other people are better than me because they aren't me."

  


Dr. Hoshi raised an eyebrow and then looked down, jolted down some notes and continued.

  


"Do you feel special?"

  


Shinji sighed. "Yeah, but not in a good way. This special makes me feel out of the loop of the world."

  


'Wow, he seems to be willing to share today. Not like the other days where he's all quiet and sweating bullets.' "Okay, Shinji, do you have a lot of friends?"

  


Thinking hard on the question Shinji replied. "Well, there's Touji, Kensuke, Class Rep, some of the people at NERV, Misato, Kaji, Asuka, Rei. So I guess I have a lot of friends."

  


Dr. Hoshi nodded at his reply. "How do your parents feel about this?"

  


"Well, my father's obviously okay with it and my mom's soul is stuck in my Eva so I guess she's fine with it too."

  


Writing down something on her notepad that said -Believe's his dead mother is stuck in his Eva.-.

  


"So, Shinji, are you lonely?"

  


"Umm....no?"

  


Dr. Hoshi gave him a quizzical look. "You sound unsure of your answer."

  


Taking a deep breath Shinji answered. "No, I'm not lonely." 'Lying right through my teeth.'

  


"Right, so Shinji I'm going to ask some questions about yesterday, if that's okay with you."

  


"I wasn't the one that threw the stuff animals and got that NERV guy beat up, I swear!"

  


Dr. Hoshi stared impassively at him. "Should I ask or just write it off as a lapse in sanity?"

  


Shinji flushed in embarrassment and bowed his head. "Never mind, its nothing."

  


"Riiight..." came the reply. "So, did you have fun?"

  


"Yea, a little. Could have been a little bit better."

  


"Oh, yeah. That's nice at least someone had fun. So what could have been better?"

  


"Well..." Shinji started, looking thoughtfully at the roof. "I guess I just wish we had more time to do stuff, that angel alarm kind of cut off the remainder of the day–not that anyone wanted to go back or anything after that anyways."

  


"One more and you're outta here. Okay?"

  


"All right."

  


"How was Dr. Akagi during the trip?"

  


"Well at the beginning she really freaked me out, and then when we got to the fair she kinda vanished and we didn't see her till later when the alarms went off, so I really couldn't give you a good answer."

  


"I see...Well, Shinji you're free to go."

  


"Thanks Dr. Hoshi."

  


"No, thank you. Will you send in Touji on your way out?"

  


"No problem."

  


*******

  


Misato was making her way down the halls of NERV when suddenly Ritsuko stepped in her way from behind a door.

  


"Hey, Misato you remember when you started telling me that story about you and Rei's off day."

  


Misato's eyes shifted around the room before returning to Ritsuko. "Ugh...no."

  


"Oh, don't lie. I want you to finish it for me."

  


"NO!" Misato screamed. Holding her hands to her ears, she turned and ran back to the way she came with a eager Ritsuko following.

  


"Don't run, Major! I know my way around this whole place! I'll find you, I'll find you!

  


"But that's not nice!" Misato whined, hiding behind a door. "Your gonna laugh at me."

  


Ritsuko thought about assuring the distressed woman she wasn't going to laugh, but decided against it. She knew she was going to laugh.

  


"Oh, c'mon, Misato, you know deep down inside that it was a funny situation and when you look back on it, again, you'll laugh too."

  


"Dr. Akagi! I hate you!" Misato shouted. "And I'm gonna kill you too."

  


"You will not kill me! I'm your best friend!" Ritsuko countered.

  


"So...so I can kill my best friend!"

  


Ritsuko gave her a mock laugh. "I'd like to see...you...HEY!" ducking quickly, Ritsuko barely missed being hit by the bullets fired at her. "Watch where you aim. I'm out here."

  


Misato grinned, though Ritsuko could not see. "Oh, yea," she replied with sarcasm. "We wouldn't want to hit the great Dr. Akagi."

  


Ritsuko grumbled something and looked around for something. To her luck, she spotted the one thing that would have Misato talking in milliseconds.

  


"You'll be desperately wanting to tell me the rest of that story in a few seconds, Misato!" Ritsuko laughed and went after the object she so suddenly needed.

  


********

  


"HEY!" Touji exclaimed. "How ya doin', Dr. H?"

  


Sighing, Dr. Hoshi replied. "Touji, don't call me Dr. H."

  


"Oh, sorry."

  


"Its okay, just take a seat so we can get started."

  


Doing as he was told Touji sat down and grinned at her.

  


"Another private meeting." Touji suddenly said.

  


"Shut-up, Fourth."

  


"Okay."

  


"Now, answer the following questions honestly."

  


"Notta a problem."

  


"How does this situation make you feel?"

  


"I'm fine with it."

  


"How does being an Eva pilot make you feel? Does it make you feel better than others?"

  


Thinking hard, Touji replied. "Ugh...maybe a little, but I don't do much anyways."

  


"Do you feel special?"

  


Touji growled. "NO! I'm not special. I am not some stupid retard kid that goes 'duh' all the time, so don't call me that!"

  


Dr. Hoshi stared at Touji with wide eyes. "Ugh...okay...I never considered you such. I fine that you are very bright Touji."

  


"Oh...well, I don't glow either." 

  


'Right, of course.' she thought.

  


"Do you have lots of friends?"

  


"I have enough." came the serious reply.

  


"How do your parents feel about you being an Eva pilot?"

  


"Well my dad's glad that its helpin' my lil sis, but my gramps is all flustered and gonna probably give himself a heart attack being worried all the darn time."

  


"Oh. Well, you're not lonely are you?"

  


"No. I've got the people closest to me, I'm all right."

"That's great to here, now let's talk about yesterday."

  


"Umm okay."

  


"Did you have fun?"

  


"Sort of."

  


"Oh, well, what could have made it funnier?"

  


"I just wish we would have rode on more rides, but I'm okay 'cause we did the Bumper cars."

  


"Last question, Touji. How was Dr. Akagi during the trip?"

  


"Oh, boy, I wouldn't have a clue. She was all annoyed when we met up with her at the Fair and after that she kinda of vanished and I saw her later at NERV during the angel emergency."

  


Writing some stuff down, Dr. Hoshi smiled at the young man. "That's all Touji, you're free."

  


"Say, are you free? I'm not doing anything till whenever."

  


Dr. Hoshi stared at Touji impassively. "Fourth Child?"

  


Touji sighed defeated and stopped her next comment with one of his own. "I know, I know, I'm gone."

  


********

  


The First, Second, and Third Children were making there way down the halls of NERV towards the cafeteria for breakfast.

  


Well actually, Rei was heading in that particular direction Asuka and Shinji were following her because they thought she was going to do some top secret thing and they wanted to find out what it was.

  


Rei just let them believe that's exactly what she was going to do.

  


"So, First?" Asuka began. "This top secret thing you're up to does it involve me?"

  


"No."

  


Asuka glared. "Well, why not!?"

  


"......"

  


"I don't think this is a nice time to fight." Shinji said.

  


Two pairs of eyes shifted in his direction. One was glaring, the other were staring with indifference. Shinji decided to leave it at that and moved on to the next subject.

  


"Hey, Ayanami, does this top secret plan of yours involve my father?"

  


Rei was about to reply when suddenly Shinji was snatched from view and pulled into a side door. Blinking Rei turned to Asuka, who was looking at her.

  


"Ugh...what just happen, Wondergirl?"

  


"I do not know."

  


"AHHHHHHHH!" came Shinji scream. "It smells in here!"

  


"Calm down, Shinji!" came another voice.

  


Rei and Asuka exchange glances again. 

  


"Isn't that...?" Asuka started.

  


"Dr. Akagi." Rei answered.

  


"Dr. Akagi!?" Shinji unknowingly confirmed for the girls. "What are you doing?"

  


The door open and Shinji stumbled out handcuffed and clothes disarrayed. He looked at Rei and Asuka for help and only found confusion.

  


"Ikari, what happened?" Rei asked.

  


"I think Dr. Akagi is trying to take advantage of me." he replied with fear evident in his voice.

  


Asuka finally lost her state of confusion and shook her head. "Such a little idiot."

  


Dr. Akagi finally emerged from the room looking down at something in her hand. "Okay, Shinji, I'm just gonna use you to get something out of Misato, so don't worry, it'll be quick."

  


"WHAT!?" Asuka and Shinji cried.

  


Dr. Akagi looked up not because of the cry but because Asuka was one of the people to scream. "Oh, hello, Asuka." she turned her head slightly and nodded. "Rei?"

  


"Dr. Akagi." came the cool reply.

  


"Listen, ladies, this isn't happening." she continued.

  


"Yes it is." Shinji growled. "I'm telling someone!"

  


Asuka grinned. "That's gonna cost you Doctor."

  


"HEY!" Shinji shouted, glaring at Asuka. "You can't let her do this."

  


"Oh, don't be such a baby, Shinji." Ritsuko added. "I'm not gonna hurt you. Just use you as bait to get a real funny story out of Misato. I bet you'd all like to hear about it. Though some of you know about it already." her gaze turned to Rei.

  


The other two children followed her gaze. 

  


"You seem to always be involved in stuff, First." Asuka pointed out. "Now tell us what you know!?"

  


"Oh, no, Misato will share everything now that I have her precious Shinji."

  


Shinji hung his head low.

  


"Now, c'mon, let's go find Misato before you guys have to leave." 

  


They were getting ready to follow when Asuka stopped. "Wait, Wondergirl here was going to go do some secret stuff and we wanted to see what it was."

  


"Oh, yeah..." Shinji remembered. "I wanna see some secret stuff too."

  


They all turned to Rei.

  


"I do not believe having breakfast is really considered a secret." she explained.

  


Asuka growled and brought her fist up for Rei to see. "Oh, you were just gonna let us follow you too, huh? You tricked us into believing you were gonna do secret stuff. I hate you you know that?"

  


"I am quite of aware of your feelings towards me."

  


Before Asuka could continue ranting, Ritsuko cut in. "HEY! Really funny story, Misato, remember? Let's go!"

  


"FINE! We'll finish arguing later on when we have the time."

  


'Only Asuka would reschedule an argument." Shinji thought absently.

********

  


"Kaworu?" Dr. Hoshi started. "You ready?"

  


Still grinning like he had been for a few minutes now, Kaworu nodded. "Yes, I am, Dr. Hoshi."

  


"Okay, now tell me how this situation is making you feel?"

  


"OH, I'm quite all right with the situation."

  


"Right, so how about being an Eva Pilot? Does that make you feel that you are better than other people?"

  


"All people are the same when you truly look deep down. No one is really better."

  


'Little freak.' Dr. Hoshi thought, narrowing her eyes slightly. "Okay, so do you feel special?"

  


"I am very special, but not because I'm a pilot, but because I hold something dear to me and have to ability to use the light of my soul which only one person can do."

  


Blinking very rapidly, the doctor asked:

  


"The light of your soul? What's that? And who's this person you speak of?"

  


Kaworu, still grinning, answered. "All answers shall be revealed in due time. You shall see this person before you die and possibly like it."

  


'I doubt I'll like it.' Dr. Hoshi frowned. 'He's weird, I better end this before he gets me asking too many questions and making this meeting longer than necessary."

  


"So, Kaworu, do you have a lot of friends?"

  


"One cannot measure how many friends he has. A lot of friends to one person could mean only a few to others. I however consider that what I have is what I deserve and if this circle wants to get bigger then let it."

  


"I like that view on friends. Wish we could discuss it further, but we're running short on time. So how do your parents feel about you being an Eva pilot?"

  


"Well I do not truly know, for one I believe my father does not mine, but I haven't a clue with my mother for she was lost a while back."

  


"Ahh, I'm so sorry. None of you kids seem to have your mothers."

  


"Do not worry for she is in a safe place in my heart."

  


Smiling, she replied, "That's so sweet. Let's continue. Are you lonely?"

  


Kaworu's smile finally faded. "Everyone is alone. Many just don't acknowledge it and cover it with the relationship they have with people."

  


Choosing not to comment on that Dr. Hoshi moved on. "Okay let's talk about yesterday."

  


"Yesterday was most interesting." Kaworu explained, his grin returning.

  


"Oh, wow, that's great to hear. The others said they didn't have very much fun."

  


"Well, as far as the fair goes it wasn't much fun, but the events that transpire yesterday were interesting. I've learned that being the alpha male is something I shall strive to be now."

  


'Oh, great who influenced him. Probably the Fourth.'

  


"So Kaworu what could have made the Fair more fun?"

  


"Well, I've never been to a Fair, so I don't know all the things they have, I just wish we could have gotten on more rides."

  


"Oh all right. Last question. How was Dr. Akagi during the trip?"

  


"I really couldn't say. She wasn-

  


"Hanging around you guys?" she finished.

  


"Yes, exactly."

  


"Oh, well, thank you Kaworu, I really enjoyed talking to you."

  


Kaworu's grin widen. "The pleasure was all mine."

  


*******

  


"Misato I have your charges!" Ritsuko announce.

  


"Hey, now, you're not holding me against my will." Asuka pointed out.

  


"I figure the more I have the faster she'll come." 

  


'I should have just continue on my way to the cafeteria.' Rei thought. 'I'm hungry.'

  


'I'm hungry!' Shinji whined in his head. 'I'm being used and abused, and no one is doing anything about it. This sucks.' Suddenly his eyes wandered over to Rei. 'I wondered...'

  


"Psst...hey Ayanami."

  


Rei's eyes looked in his direction. "Yes?"

  


"If you get me out of this, I'll pay you."

  


"I do not need your money."

  


"So? You can still have it."

  


"No."

  


"Okay...how about this then." He grinned evilly. "I'll tell them all your little secret."

  


Rei looked up in thought, when she returned her gaze to Shinji she asked. "Which one?"

  


Shinji face faulted. 'Geeze, does she have that many.' "How about the one where...ugh...yeah ya know that one about the tank and stuff."

  


"Shut-up!" Asuka cut in, glaring at the two of them. "Misato is hiding over there and if you two are talking all friendly like then she won't believe us to be in danger and I'll never hear this funny story Ritsuko is yapping about."

  


{Attention: Would all Eva pilots report to cage nine! Repeat: would all Eva pilots report to cage nine!}

  


"Shit!" Ritsuko cursed. She took off Shinji's handcuffs, "Go ahead, I forgot Sub-Commander was waiting for you."

  


"DAMN!" Asuka shouted. "We'll continue this.....yes...yes we will!"

  


And with that Ritsuko's chance of getting the story out of Misato was gone.

  


"You thought you had me!" Misato exclaimed, coming out of a room. "I just remember all I had to do was get rid of them! HA ha!"

  


Ritsuko's eyebrow twitch. "I hate her sometimes." she muttered.

  


-End Intermission One-


	5. Day Two: Museums Weren't Made for Eva Pi...

Author's Unimportant Note: 

Just a few things I want to say before you read on. Thanks for the reviews and stuff. And a real special thanks goes out to Mike for correcting my German. I can't speak it worth a lick and actually got that from a translator online. In the near future feel free to correct me anytime you wish. That goes out to everyone. I'd rather be corrected and know how to say 'your mother' in German than run around thinking it was right the way it was. 

On a even stupider note I'm not to happy with this chapter. It came out all right but I know I could have done better. Last but not least. I like cake. Yep, I can't say I like pie cause my buddy would kill me for stealing his line.

_Day Two: Museums weren't made for Eva pilots_

  


_Cage Nine_

Fuyutsuki paced in front of all five Children, who stood at attention and in order.

"Okay, guys, today is my day to spend time with you. So I was wondering if you had any suggestion on where we could go?"

"How about we go sky diving!?" Asuka suggested, raising her hand while speaking.

"Ugh...something that won't result in an early death for some of us older folks."

Touji raised his hand and spoke. "How about we go to a monster truck rally?"

Asuka leaned so she could see Touji passed Shinji, "Hey, stooge, some of us don't enjoy senseless wreckage, so keep that in mind."

"Well, some of us don't enjoy falling to our deaths either, so why don't you keep that in mind as well."

"Okay, that's enough of you two. Calm down."

Both quieted down and return their attention to Fuyutsuki.

"Any more suggestions?"

"How about...." Shinji started, raising his hand.

"No!" Asuka cut in.

"But I didn't even get to say what it was."

Asuka grinned. "You're an idiot so its going to be a stupid idea."

Fuyutsuki frowned. "Second...." he growled.

She looked down and sighed. "Oh, all right, I guess we could hear what he's got to say."

Turning to Shinji Fuyutsuki gave him the go ahead to continue.

"Maybe we could go hang out at the beach or something."

"We can do that any day!" Touji and Asuka exclaimed.

"It was just a suggestion!"

Fuyutsuki shook his head as the Second, Third and Fourth continued to bicker. His eyes landed on the First who was just staring off into space.

"First Child, do you have any suggestions?"

"Nothing." came the quiet reply.

"Oh, well, try to think of something." Fuyutsuki encouraged.

"No." Rei shook her head. "I suggest we do nothing."

Everyone shut up and stared at Rei.

"What the hell are you smoking, Wondergirl?"

Rei looked at Asuka. Asuka looked at Rei. Rei continued to stare at Asuka. Asuka flicked Rei in the head. Rei flinched and rubbed her forehead. Asuka enjoyed this so much that she flicked the girl in the arm. Rei frowned. Fuyutsuki frowned. Asuka flicked Rei in the arm again.

"Stop that, Second."

Remembering that she was at attention, Asuka smiled sheepishly and stopped flicking Rei in the arm. "Sorry, sir."

Turning to the Fifth and final Child, Fuyutsuki asked him the same question he asked Rei.

"Well, I was thinking the museum sounded like a good idea." Kaworu said.

While Fuyutsuki was thinking that over Asuka decided to flick Rei in the arm again.

"Please stop that."

"But its kinda fun. You should give it a try. But not on me of course."

Rei turned towards Asuka, who didn't noticed because she was so into flicking the girl in the arm. Finally getting that feeling that someone was staring at you, Asuka looked up at Rei. Rei continued to stare. The arm that Asuka was not flicking suddenly came up. Asuka's eyebrow rose in confusion. "What are you...

Rei flicked Asuka in the forehead.

Asuka stared at the First Child, stunned to silence.

Rei returned her attention to Fuyutsuki. Shinji who had been staring at them instead of Fuyutsuki chuckled and looked elsewhere when he caught Asuka glaring at him.

"So its settle!" Fuyutsuki exclaimed, holding his fist in the air.

Since Asuka hadn't been paying attention she asked:

"What's settled? Are we going sky diving!?"

"No," Shinji answered, looking rather dull about it. "We're going to the museum."

Asuka seemingly died like Shinji had and looked down. "Oh, yippee."

"Yes," came Shinji's dead reply, "I can't contain my excitement either."

Touji looked over at them with the same look and feeling. "I think I've pee in my pants from all my excitement."

Rei looked at the Touji with the same look, but that's because Rei always looked like that. "Fourth, please do not inform us of such things in the near future. It is rather disturbing to the mind."

Touji looked at Rei. "Ayanami, you don't catch sarcasm very well do you?"

Rei just looked the other way, while Asuka and Shinji snickered.

Kaworu, in the same boat as Rei, only stared on in confusion. "At least your not standing next to this guy, Rei. That is if he did urinate on himself."

Fuyutsuki was glaring at them. They hadn't been listening to a word he said. 

He cleared his throat and got their attention once again. "Yes, shall we. I've got a couple of interesting museums in mind." With that Fuyutsuki turned and walked away.

Touji looked at the others. "I bet you guys four hundred yen we go to a museum and end up in the Second Impact section."

"I wouldn't be surprise if that happened." muttered an unhappy Shinji. 

Touji nodded and groaned. "Nothing sounds better than a museum. Thanks a whole bunch Kaworu."

"You're very welcome, Fourth."

Touji eye started twitch, "What the hell is wrong with red-eyed people!?"

Kaworu and Rei both glared at Touji. He saw Kaworu's glare, but did not catch Rei's.

"What!? You both have problems and you know it!" Touji stated, trying to defend himself.

Rei walked in front of Touji. Touji looked down at her. She looked up. Touji blinked. Rei flicked him in the forehead.

"Ayanami!" Touji exclaimed, rubbing his forehead. "What the hell was that for?"

Rei turned and started walking while answering his question. "I'm angry."

Shinji raised his eyebrow at the departing Rei. "One would not have figured that out if she hadn't told us."

Asuka was agreeing while shaking her head. "It is truly truly a sad thing when you can't tell a person's angry."

Touji was rubbing his forehead. "She flicked me pretty hard!"

"What a wimp." Asuka muttered and followed after Rei.

Touji stuck his tongue at her while rolling his eyes upward. She didn't see, but Shinji did and he just shook his head while grinning.

"I don't know. Today might be interesting after all."

Kaworu looked at him. "Yes, I believe I want to look at the 'old days' when we get to the museum."

Shinji looked at Kaworu. "Kaworu, I wasn't talking about that."

"Oh."

********

"What the hell is that!?" Asuka exclaimed.

"It's a car. A van to be exact." Fuyutsuki answered. 

"But...but...."

The sub-commander sighed. "What's wrong with it, Second?"

"Its so ugly. I don't want to ride around in that."

"What's so ugly about it?"

Asuka rolled her eyes and pointed at the large 'NERV' logo on the van. "Who would want to drive around with that thing on their car?"

"Actually," Rei started, but Asuka somehow developed super speed and make it over towards the girl in time to cover her mouth.

"Don't even say it. Just don't say it. Got it?"

"Then I'll say it!" Shinji announce. "NERV owns a car company! Hundreds of thousands of people drive NERV made cars everyday including Misato."

"So in a sense, plenty of people drive around with this on their car." Fuyutsuki finished.

There was a moment of silence as Asuka stared at them in shock. She didn't lose that gaze even when someone's hands started pulling at her arm.

"OH, geeze Asuka!" Touji and Shinji exclaimed.

"What!?"

"You're killing Rei!" all four males screamed.

Asuka blinked and turned around. Sure enough she had cut off the girls air supply by firmly pressing down on both her nose and mouth. Rei was the one trying to pull Asuka's arm off, she finally figured out, but now the blue haired pilot looked like she was about to faint.

'I wonder if I should release her.'

After a minute of thinking it over, Asuka let go of Rei who then collapsed to the ground. 

"So, what do you suggest we do, Second Child?" Fuyutsuki wondered, completely ignoring the gagging Rei on the floor and getting back to the subject at hand.

"I think we should take your car."

"My car would not fit all of you." Fuyutsuki explained.

Asuka thought about and snapped her fingers when she figured it out. "Touji can ride in the trunk."

"HEY!"

"Second Child?" Fuyutsuki called.

"Yes, sub-commander."

"If the van upsets you so much then I'll have them bring me one of Section 2's SUVs, how's that sound?"

"Sounds like a plan to me."

******

After the SUV came, the set out towards whatever museum Fuyutsuki decided to take them to. Asuka took shogun with Touji and Shinji behind her and Rei and Kaworu in the far back.

Although unknown to them Rei was plotting her revenge against Asuka 'Note to self: Kill the Second Child in her sleep. Otherwise she may prove to be a formidable opponent.' 

"Hey, Sub-Commander?" Touji called, raising his hand out of habit. 

"Yes, Fourth Child?" 

"I kinda promised a couple of my school buddies that they'd get to go with us on all our trips this week, so could we go pick them up from the park?"

Fuyutsuki looked at Touji through the rearview mirror.

"Fourth, I don't not wish to have kids not under my control with me."

"But they're really nice and will behave themselves." Shinji added.

There was a moment of silence as Fuyutsuki thought about it. "Is this park on the way to where were going?"

Shinji and Touji exchanged glances and nodded. Fuyutsuki saw this in the mirror.

"Okay, fine, but they are responsible for themselves."

"Oh, great now we have to deal with the third stooge and his infatuation with Wondergirl." Asuka whispered.

Kaworu chuckled and looked at Rei. "Isn't that cute, Ayanami, Kensuke's probably in love with you."

'I want to go back to my apartment.' Rei thought in with a sigh. Outwardly she said nothing though, only kept her attention focused out the window.

Kaworu looked away when he figured out that she was not going to response. "On the inside your blushing." he commented. 

"Oh, and let's not forget Touji undying love for Hikari." Shinji threw in. Touji snapped his attention towards the Third Child.

"You'd be better off in the backseat, Shinji." he growled through clenched teeth.

Blinking Shinji asked. "Huh? Why?"

"Because then I'll have to manage to somehow kill you without injuring the other two back there in the process."

"What'll happen if I stay right here?"

"THIS!" Touji's hand quickly latched onto Shinji's throat and started squeezing.

"ACK!" cried Shinji.

Asuka turned around and whacked Touji on the head. "You can't kill him. He makes my breakfast and does my housework. That's my slave and unless your gonna replace him I suggest you stop!"

Touji had to let go of Shinji to rub his sore head. "Ow, Asuka, why'd you have to hit me so hard. I wasn't gonna kill your bitch. Just bruise him a little bit." After glaring at Asuka for a few seconds, Touji turned his attention back to Shinji, "Why are you still here? Want some more!?"

"EEP!" Shinji dove into the back seat, knocking his and Kaworu's heads together and smacking Rei into the window. After he was finally seated in between Rei and Kaworu, he rubbed his head. Kaworu and Rei were already doing that.

"He was not really going to kill you." Rei whispered, frowning as she spoke.

Shinji looked at her. "How do you know that?"

"He would get in trouble."

"Well excuse me if I happen to value my life a little bit more than I use to."

Kaworu was still rubbing his head all the while grumbling. "Yeah, well, you could have tried to be a little gentle coming back here."

Shinji glared at him and looked forward. "You're just mad because you can't rub Ayanami's leg now."

Kaworu looked off to the side. "I am not!"

"Oh, great, him too!" Asuka cried. She looked at Fuyutsuki. "Sub-Commander make the Fifth not be so dirty-minded!"

"Yes, Second Child." Fuyutsuki replied. "Fifth, don't be so dirty-minded."

"But it was Ikari." Kaworu told.

"And tell the Third to not be so stupid!"

"Third," Fuyutsuki started, "don't be so stupid."

The others, excluding Rei, stared in shock. Asuka had Fuyutsuki in the palm of her hand now. They were doomed.

"And let's go sky diving instead of to the museum."

"Yes, Second Child."

"Oh, yeah," Asuka started. "Tell the Fourth to not be a perverted idiot."

"Fourth, don't be such a perverted idiot."

"This is getting a little weird." Touji whispered to the others.

Grinning Asuka continued. "And tell the First to get a life."

"First Child,"

Rei looked towards Fuyutsuki. She waited.

"Get a life."

"Yes, sir." Rei turned her attention back out the window. 'How am I suppose to do that?' she thought.

********

The NERV issued SUV pulled next to two children, a girl and a boy, and the back door flew open.

"HI!" Touji exclaimed.

Kensuke and Hikari stared at him.

"Where are the others?"

Touji gestured to the front. "Devil-girl is right here."

"Sub-commander cut the Fourth's paycheck!" Asuka demanded.

"Yes, Second Child."

Continuing as if he just didn't get his paycheck cut, Touji gestured to the back seat. "The others are back here having a threesome. I believe Shinji's in the middle."

Kensuke grinned a dirty little boy grin and Hikari gasped and jumped in the car to beat the crap out of Touji.

"Suzahara! How dare you say such things?"

Kensuke climbed in after her and looked towards the backseat. "HEY! Shinji is in the middle!"

Gasping again, Hikari stopped slapping Touji and looked towards the backseat. What she saw wasn't what she expected to see, but Kensuke was right Shinji was in the middle.

But instead of having a threesome like Touji had informed them off, he was reading a book over Kaworu's shoulder. Rei was just staring out the window.

"Hi, Rei!" Kensuke waved, smiling brightly.

Rei looked at him, the turned her attention back out the window. Kensuke grinned and melted in his seat. Everyone, but Rei, stared at him in confusion. 

"I love it when she just looks at me as if she doesn't care."

Shinji scratched the back of his head. "She looks at everyone like that." he explained to Kensuke.

"But she does it with such passion when she does it to me. Oh, yeah, deep down, she wants me."

Shinji just shook his head, looked at Rei, who was ignoring everything around her and went back to reading over Kaworu's shoulder.

"Ya know, if you think about it..." Kaworu suddenly spoke up. 

"Yea, think about what?" Hikari asked, staring at Kaworu in confusion.

Kaworu grinned. "She actually looks at Shinji with more passion than you, Kensuke."

Shinji developed a look like a fish out of water. Kensuke was glaring at Kaworu and secretly glaring at Shinji. Rei was now staring at Kaworu with one thought in mind.

'Note to self: Kill Nagisa.'

*********

_The 1st backseat...._

"Please Asuka, don't let get my paycheck cut! Please!" Touji begged, leaning forward so Asuka could see him.

Asuka snorted, "you have thought about that before you said what you said."

Touji grumbled and tried again anyway, "Say what if I..." he began.

Hikari, for her part was glancing at the others in the back and caught the rather evil look Rei had towards Kaworu and turned to Touji.

"Say Touji, do you think that Rei plots against others?" Hikari asked in a hushed tone.

Touji stopped him from pleading with Asuka to give Hikari his attention.

"Umm, what?"

"Do you think that Rei secretly plots against people?" she repeated, whispering so no one could hear her.

Touji looked at Rei and then back at Hikari. "Probably. She looks like the kind of person that gets her revenge when you least expect it."

Hikari blinked and then let her eyes wandered to the window. "Do you think she wants to kill me?" she questioned, eyes showing fear.

Touji blinked in confusion, raised an eyebrow, and answered. "I don't know. Why don't you ask her? Ayanami's pretty straightforward with answers."

"Hmmm..." Hikari thought, not replying to Touji.

*********

"Ayanami?" Shinji called.

"Yes, Ikari?" Rei answered, not looking at him.

'Damn, I thought she would turned. Now I actually need to keep going.'

"Say, do you want to have a staring contest?" he thought up quickly.

Kaworu looked away from his book to Shinji. Then he let himself grin.

"You just want to see if she actually looks at you differently." he whispered.

Shinji slowly brought his hand up to and punched Kaworu in the arm.

"Ow! Why did you hit me!?"

"You talk too much." Shinji muttered. He returned his attention to Rei who was now looking at him. 'Hmm...her stare doesn't seem any different.'

"Ikari, why do you want to have a staring contest?"

"NO, Sub-commander, the Sky diving place is over there!" Asuka screamed from the front seat.

"Yes, Second Child." came the droned reply.

"Hey, Shinji, don't get fresh with my wife to be!" Kensuke threaten, holding his fist to see. "I'll kill you!"

Shinji stared at Kensuke and then shook his head. "Shut-up, you're just mad because she looks at me with more passion."

"That's not true!" Kensuke cried.

"Yes it is!"

"No it isn't!"

Shinji nodded, crossed his arms in a cocky kinda way and grinned. "Oh, yes she does."

Kensuke glared at the suddenly cocky Third Child. "I hate you."

"You can't hate me 'cause I get the special glances."

Rei just stared at the both of them. 'What is it they say in situations like this?' she thought. 'Oh yes, I remember. They are nothing but a couple of incompetent fools.'

Before Shinji and Kensuke could argue some more, the car came to a stop and Asuka turned around with a grin that spoke volumes of evil. Evil she would do to them when the time was right and the moon was high.

"I told you she was a demon!" Touji cried, pointing at the grinning Asuka.

"Sub-Commander, cut the Fourth's next two checks." she ordered.

Fuyutsuki, who had this glazed over look in his eyes, nodded and replied like he had been for awhile as he stepped out of the car.

"What did you do to him?" Hikari wondered, watching the man walk to the other side of the car.

Asuka's grin widen. "Why, I took a hypnotic class in college? Who would think the Sub-commander was easy to put under." 

Her door open, thanks to her new servant, and she stepped out with the pride of a queen.

"That means...." Shinji trailed off.

"Hey!" Kaworu shouted, frowning deeply. "That means we're not going to the museum."

Shinji gave Kaworu that look. Ya know, the one that clearly said: 'Hey, idiot, we've got better things to worry about and who wanted to go the museum anyways. MORON!'

"So we're really going sky diving?" Hikari asked, hoping against faith and Asuka's ability to actually control a person.

"Looks like it." Touji replied, patting her on the back.

"HEY!" Asuka screamed, pulling the door open. "Listen, you can't do anything sitting in the car so let's hop to it!" With that she turned and stomped off.

They all stayed there for one more minute.

"Might as well face death head on!" Touji exclaimed and jumped out the car.

Hikari climbed out after him. "I hope she'll let me pass this one up."

Kensuke followed her, pushing the seat forward for the others. "I told you guys we should have slain the dragon before it was too late."

Rei exited the car without a word.

"I'll protect you, Rei." Kensuke said.

Rei slowly cast her eyes on him, after holding the look for a good minute, she looked elsewhere. 'Note to self: Kill Aida.'

Shinji and Kaworu followed soon after and they all started in the directions they saw Asuka and the Sub-commander go.

***************

"Seven Kids and this guy for sky diving!" Asuka demanded.

The cashier looked up at the man and gasped. "Ah! Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki, its nice to see you." He looked back at Asuka. "And....and you must be one of the Children!"

"The Second to be exact." Asuka answered, glaring at him. "Now, let's get this show on the road."

He looked back at Fuyutsuki who had that glazed over look in his eyes still. "Is that what you want, Sir?"

"Yes, that's what he wants!" Asuka shouted. "That's what I said, isn't it?"

"But I have to have his approval!"

"ARGH! Fine! Answer him, Commander."

Fuyutsuki nodded. "Yes, that is what I want."

"Ugh...okay, well, do you guys want the training?"

"Yes!" Screamed Hikari as she entered, running to the desks. "We want to training! For God's sake, we want to training!"

Asuka and the clerk stared at her at length. 

Hikari blushed and stepped back. "I'm sorry."

Getting over her shock, Asuka gave her best friend a reassuring pat on the back. 

"It's okay, Hikari, I wasn't going to do the training, but if it'll make you feel better we'll do it, okay?"

Hikari nodded, looking at the ground still a little embarrassed. "Okay."

"So I take it you want the training?" the clerk asked.

"Yes, we want the training." Asuka snapped back. "What do you think we were talking about just now? The weather?"

"Okay, okay."

***********

"Okay, everyone!" announced the trainer. "I'm your trainer, Link." the blonde man said.

Hikari and Asuka started to drool. "He's so hot!"

Touji grumbled and looked at the other guys. "Oh, great we get to watch the girls drool."

"Well," Shinji started and gestured at Rei. "Ayanami's not drooling."

Touji gave Shinji that look that said. 'Yea, well Ayanami doesn't do a lot now does she, so she's not a good example.'

Shinji understood that look and shut-up. Kensuke however, didn't and decided to say:

"That's because my wife to be already knows she's got a good looking man right here."

"Kensuke," Touji started.

"Yes?"

"Shut-up."

"Don't get mad at me 'cause you're woman can't keep her eyes off of other men."

Touji blushed and looked away.

Shinji and Kaworu rolled their eyes.

"Hey, you, pay attention!" Link shouted.

After much sighing, they all gave him they're undivided attention.

"First things, first, I want you all to wear these name tags."

"We're not allowed to do that!" Asuka shouted. "Its against NERV regulations for the Children to tell they're names. Especially if the person knows who they are."

Link blinked. "Ugh...okay, then what DO I say when I want someone's attention?"

Kaworu rose his hand. "You simply call us by our designated code number."

"Oh, okay." Link replied, rather slowly. "What are those?"

Asuka sighed and pointed at Rei. "First." She pointed at herself. "Second." Next Shinji. "Third." Touji was next. "Fourth." And finally Kaworu. "Fifth."

"I'm Hikari, I'm not a NERV employee so you can call me by name."

Kensuke sighed in disappointed, then his eyes lite up. "I'm the Sixth Child!"

All eyes landed on him.

"You are not the Sixth Child, Aida." Rei informed him.

Kensuke looked at her, frowning. "Ya know, to be my girlfriend, you're not very supportive."

"I am not your 'girlfriend' as you so put it." 

Kensuke huffed and looked away. "You're really into putting down a guy's hopes and dreams today aren't you?"

Rei choose not to comment on that.

Seeing that Kensuke was not about to share his name with their trainer, Shinji did.

"Yea, that's Kensuke." He informed.

"Wannabe Eva pilot." Touji added with a smirk.

"And wannabe Ayanami's boyfriend." Kaworu threw in as well, giving the same smirk.

"I hate you guys!" Kensuke yelled.

Link stared at them, then looked at Fuyutsuki who was still very much out of it and then back at them. "Right, let's get this show on the road. I gotta go find Princess Zelda. And possibly rescue her. And if that's not it, I'll probably have to save Hyrule again."

Exchanging a glance with Hikari, Asuka choose not to comment on that and followed after the slightly delusional man.

Hikari choose that moment to pray to the God which somehow always manage to put them in deep doo doo. 

The guys didn't hear anything because they were too busy making fun of Kensuke.

Rei didn't care.

Fuyutsuki was too hypnotized to know what was going on. Let alone form his own coherent thought.

  


*********

"Okay, the first lesson in sky diving is how to put your parachute on." Link started, holding the backpack in his hand, while gesturing with the other. 

"That's pretty damn easy." Asuka muttered, she slipped it on and rolled her eyes. "Next step!"

"No. We have to attach all the buckles and belts and make sure everything checks out. You wouldn't want the parachute to fall off of you in mid-air."

"Some of us wouldn't mind her parachute doing that." Touji said.

"Suzahara!" Hikari shouted, grabbing his ear.

"What!? What'd I do now!?"

Ignoring them, Link continued to show the remaining people who were paying attention how to put the parachute on properly.

*********

Many steps later...

"Okay now..."

"We're ready to go sky diving!?" Asuka asked, eagerly.

Link stared at her blankly before turning around. "Umm...no. But we are ready to play on the wind trampoline."

"Oooooooh." Came various voices.

"Aaah." came others.

"Right." Link started. "This will help you learn how to get use to the wind in your eyes and your proper position in the air."

"I just want to jump..." cried Asuka to herself.

'And I just want you to fall to your bloody death!' Three people thought.

Touji and Kensuke exchanged glances for they knew they thought the same thing.

The third person who had that thought looked on.

"Ah, okay, now who wants to go first?" Link asked. Touji's, Kensuke's, and Asuka's hands all shot to the air and they started waving them around.

"I wish we would have gone to the museum." Kaworu whispered.

Shinji looked at him. "Hey, we can go to the museum another time, this might actually prove to be fun."

Kaworu looked at Shinji with hopeful eyes. "You think?"

Shinji nodded and patted his friend on the back. "Yea, sure, who knows maybe we'll learn something valuable in the end."

"How about you?" Link yelled, pointing at Shinji.

Shinji tensed up and slowly focus his attention towards Link. "Ugh...me what?"

"Try out the wind trampoline."

Shinji looked around, all eyes, but those that were hypnotize by their charges, were on him. He grinned nervously. "Ugh..."

Link grinned in a friendly matter. "Ah, c'mon, give it a go."

"No, actually I think I'm allergic to wind." he lied.

Everyone was quiet.

"You wouldn't be able to live if you were allergic to wind." Rei stated logically. "In fact, you would have died instantly right after coming out of your mother's womb."

Shinji slowly turned his gaze towards Rei. "Ayanami?"

"Yes, Ikari?"

"Me and you are gonna have to have a rather long talk about your social skills. As well as your tact."

Rei blinked at him for a moment. "My social skills are adequate."

Touji let out a small chuckle while shaking his head. "Noooo, they're not." he said bluntly. Rei turned to him. "Your social skills, for lack of a better word, suck!

Rei stared at Touji impassively before turning around and focusing her attention on something else. 'Note to self: Kill Suzahara. Note to self: write down all my notes to myself for my brain is starting to suffer an overload from having to remember all these people.'

Hikari shuddered as she thought back to her conversation with Touji about Rei and secretly planning to kill everyone. 

Link cleared his throat and he had everyone's attention once again. "Now, you, Third...or whatever number you are go on up there."

'Why me!?' Shinji cried in his mind. He slowly trudge through his friends up to where Link was standing, all the while holding his head low and thinking about the worst of the situations. 'I'm gonna fall or something and then Asuka's gonna call me an idiot and Touji and Kensuke will tease me and Hikari will try to be the supreme ruler of the universe by telling me to be more careful while at the same time scolding Touji and Ken for laughing.' He sighed. 'And just when you think it can't get weirder Commander Fuyutsuki will probably be ordered by Asuka to laugh at me and then Asuka'll have him order Ayanami to laugh at me...and...and....' Lifting his head up, Shinji briefly glance in the direction of Rei and then looked forward. 'I wonder if I could get her to laugh.'

"Yo, Third boy!" Link called, waving his hands in front of Shinji's face. He looked up to give Asuka a questioning look, before looking back at Shinji.

"HEY! STUPID!" Asuka shouted, knocking Shinji upside the head.

Shinji snapped out of his trance. "OW!" he rubbed his head and glared in Asuka's direction. "What's your problem!?"

"You are!"

"What did I do!?"

Asuka growled. "You're not paying attention."

An argument between Second and Third Children began.

An evil grin spread across one Touji Suzahara's face. He turned his attention to Kensuke, who was looking at Rei, who in turn, was giving some inanimate object more attention than she would give a person. 'Weird.' Touji thought and shook his head. 'Must get back to the plan.' His grin returned and he leaned over next to Kensuke's ear. "Say, I bet, Shin-man's thinking about doin' somethin' real passionate with Ayanami."

Kensuke gasped and then glared at Touji. After a moment he turned away while mumbling. "Touji's just lying. Ikari doesn't have a chance. Not a chance in hell..."

"Commander, tell Shinji to just get on the damn thing so we go!" Asuka ordered.

Fuyutsuki was about to fulfill her command when Shinji, in quite the bad mood, shouted.

"ALL RIGHT! All right! I'm going!" with a grunt of annoyance, Shinji pulled himself onto the Trampoline.

"All right, pal, prepare yourself." Link warned.

Still quite a little peeved, Shinji just crossed his arms over his chance and waited.

"You might want to choose another position." Link offered. "That one will do nothing for you when the wind starts up."

Shinji slowly cast his blue eyes in the direction of Link. "Look, pal, I have a multiple story high Eva that says I could give a flying hell right about now."

Asuka, still flustered from the argument as well, rolled her eyes. "Geeze, you call him a stupid-oedipus complex, clone loving, butt-licking moron and he gets a stick in his ass."

"Might I ask where you got that clone part from?" Hikari inquired.

"Ah, no where really." Asuka admitted, shrugging her shoulders. "Just a dream I had once."

Link sighed when his attempts to persuade Shinji to get into a more suitable position failed. He sighed once again when he gave he brown-haired eva pilot a disappointed look. Then, without anymore sighing, he pulled the switch and his personality did a one-eighty. Slowly an evil grin crossed his sweet, previously friendly face and loudly he started throwing out commands and insults at the boy who was now fumbling on the trampoline, trying to withstand the wind.

"All right, scream you little mother-loving whore, scream!" he shouted with a deranged look in his eyes.

Several children gulped and prayed. Asuka wasn't one of them, so they were still doomed.

**********

Kaworu remembered heaven and how sweet it was up there. He remembered that he never had to bother with such things when he was in heaven. If it was heaven he was in anyway. But he remembered just hanging out and not having a care in the world. He remembered the simple things. Kaworu was suddenly having second thoughts about sky diving.

Hikari remembered that on New Years' Eve, when she was in seventh grade, she vowed to graduate both high school and college, get married, have a good job, have exactly four kids (Two girls and two boys), and live the rest of her life in peace. She came to the conclusion that if she did this today that wasn't going to happen.

Shinji remembered that on his tenth birthday, his teacher had given him a pair of roller blades. He had remembered that he was grateful even though he just wanted a freakin' bike. He remembered that he put on those blasted in-line skates and stood up, something horrible followed. He then remembered why those skates ended up in the lake not long to after. He just only wish he could do the same thing here.

Touji remembered his little sister's fourth birthday. It was such a lovely day. They're weren't a lot of kids, but it was still a great day. His sister was happy, and smiling, and even though Touji got cake all over his pants he had a blast. He just wish that now he was having a blast. Link was starting to scare him.

Rei stared at her hand. Yes, she figured out that right about now would be a great time to see your life flash before your eyes, but at the moment she was just having a weep bit of trouble trying to get any good memories to surface. And she really really tried too. Okay so maybe she didn't. In fact, all she did was stare at the wall and think about it for a minute then decided that there really were no good memories to remember, so she started to stare at her hand. And stared. And stared some more. Finally, she blinked and thought 'I wonder if other people have hair as naturally soft as mine.' she glanced over at Touji, since he was right next to her and considered it. Finally, she decided that if she was going to die she was going to find out if her hair was the softest hair. She extended her hand.

Kensuke looked around the plane with his camera. Although Link had throughly shaken them all up with his deranged rantings about how he had witness a friend of his become a pancake because of parachute issues, he decided that now was not the time to piss on himself. Instead he decided that taping this would help him leave his mark in history as one of the greatest people around. Even if he didn't get to be an Eva pilot, he still got to hang around them and do things like this. Who else could honestly say they got to sky dive with the five Children and Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki. No one. Well Hikari could, but she didn't count as of right now. So Kensuke panned around with his camera then a thought stuck him. 'If I'm going to die, I should at least get a goodbye kiss.' his eyes wandered over to Rei Ayanami, who was looking the other direction, seemingly at Touji. 'Well, here goes nothing.'

Asuka looked around at all the other people. 'They all look scared. I wonder if anyone pissed on themselves yet? What the hell is Wondergirl getting ready to do?' she blinked and decided she did not want to know. 'This is the part where I see my greatest childhood memory or sumthin' like that.' she sighed and shook her head. 

"Okay! So who's wants to be the first to DIE!?" Link screamed, still in very much 'crazy' mode.

"Ah, geeze what the hell!?" Kensuke yelled.

He had gotten everyone's attention with his outburst. Then he caught everyone by surprise when he grabbed Rei by the shoulder's, swung her around and planted a nice kiss on her lips. 

Shinji and Kaworu's mouths hung open.

"I didn't think...." Shinji trailed.

"....that Aida had it in him."

"Oh my!" Hikari gasped.

"Ewe..." Asuka grimaced.

Touji said nothing. Instead he was patting his hair. 'Was Rei trying to touch my hair?' he asked himself.

Rei's eyes widen and then narrowed. 'I was this close to finding out. And Aida has enter my personal space once again. I must deal with this!'

Link, who wasn't paying them any attention barked out. "Who's goin'? C'mon, who goin'?"

"I'll go." Asuka volunteered, but before she could prepare herself to jump someone flew by and out the door with a scream.

"AHHH!"

And Kensuke went tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down...

Everyone seemingly recovered from their shock.

"Did Ayanami just shove Kensuke out of the plane?" Shinji asked, staring at the blue-haired girl in disbelief.

Asuka nodded. "Yes...yes she did."

"He's showing some initiative. How about you Commander!?"

"..........."

"Well?"

Shinji looked at Asuka. "Maybe you should let the old man's dying moment be his own."

Asuka sighed. "Fine...fine." she walked over to Fuyutsuki and placed her hand in front of his eyes. "When I snap my fingers you will return to normal and remember nothing up to this point."

"One...two..."

"AHH, Touji, it's a bug!" Hikari screamed. She somehow forgot where she was and when she back up she crashed into Asuka and both girls stumbled off the plane.

"Hikari!" Asuka bellowed, as she started to descend.

"Hikari!" Touji screamed, leaning out of the plane to get a good look at her.

Rei looked to the left, then to the right. Slowly she reached up and patted Touji on the head.

Touji recoiled in shock and jumped back. "AHHH!"

He jumped back right off the plane.

Rei blinked and watched him fall. 'My hair's softer.' was her only thought.

Shinji took a deep breath. "I guess I don't have to do this then, do I?"

Kaworu shook his head and opened his mouth to reply, only to let out a yelp of surprise instead. Slowly but surely, Kaworu was being pulled towards the open door by Link, who had him by the foot.

"C'mon boy!' he gleefully shouted. "It'll be fun."

"AHH! Please no!' Kaworu cried. He started grabbing at things. Finally he found something nice and solid.

"HEY!' Shinji screamed. "You can't hold onto to me! I'm not going out there with you."

Kaworu's grip only seem to get stronger and even though he was hanging to Shinji it didn't stop Link. Instead Link clenched his teeth and pulled harder, pulling both the Third and Fifth Children towards the door now.

"Kaworu, this isn't fair, you can't take me with you!" Shinji whined.

"Then grab on to something and save us both!" Kaworu cried.

Shinji's eyes began to jolt around, looking for the one thing that would save his life and give him salvation. He passed Rei Ayanami who had managed to get out of Link's reach. She was staring at him impassively as he was pulled by.

He steeled himself and reached out to the girl. Rei in turned stared at Shinji and did not make a move to help him. He grip his feet into the metal floor to slow down the inevitable and reached out to her again. He was still out of reach, but then again if Rei was actually trying to help it would have made things easier for the young man. 

Clenching his teeth and grunting he stretch as far as he arms would stretched and progress was being made. Rei still made no move to help him. 

Finally in a desperate act and on pure adrenaline, Shinji manage to grab Rei's leg. Ayanami stared at his hand firmly attached to her leg. She looked at Shinji and saw a look of pure evil.

"If I'm going down I'm taking you with me!' He screamed with a demonic glee in his eyes and with that he pulled Rei off her feet and onto the floor. 

Rei yelped in surprise as her feet left from under her and gasped when she slammed against the ground. Slowly her body started moving towards the door along with a maniac laughing Shinji and a crying Kaworu.

Link was hooting and hollering and cheering as he let Kaworu go, who pulled Shinji with him, who in turn had Rei firmly by the leg and took her with him. 

-End Day Two-

A/N: I felt that was the great way to end it. I could have added the other stuff and the fall and how the pilots and co will actually survive the fall, but maybe I'll add it to the beginning of the next chapter.


	6. Intermission 2

_Intermission Two: Those slightly enjoyable times...._

  


Ahh, Wednesday, the middle of the week, the day that tells you that the weekend is only two days away. That ever so wonderful day. And on this particular Wednesday seven children found themselves entering school all quite bandaged up and receiving various stares from their classmates.

Rei Ayanami entered class as she would everyday. Quite, calm, indifferent, and completely oblivious to those around her. Today, however, Rei entered the classroom with those big patch band-aids in various places. She had one on her knee and one on her forearm. Since most people were use to seeing Rei bandaged up they just passed it off as another day at the workplace for her and left it at that.

It got strange when Hikari Horaki walked in with similar bandages placed in similar places minus the face bandage and adding two for her right leg, both the knee and the shin, and another for the left knee. She also had one on her forearm. The class took one look at their Class Rep and about six girls were surrounding her asking her what happen. The ones that weren't in that circle never did find out and just assumed she fell off her bike.

When Kaworu Nagisa walked in, he started turning heads. His left forearm was wrapped up and not just bandaged and he had his head wrapped up as well. If he had any bandages on his legs they were concealed by his uniform pants. A couple of the guys that were on familiar terms with Kaworu had asked him about it, but again the rest remained ignorant to what had actually happened.

It was not till Asuka Langley Sohyru and the infamous Three Stooges showed up did everyone in the classroom become aware of what occurred. When Asuka entered she was covered in bandages. One around her head, patches on her arm and legs alike and the mood to make anyone who dare ask her what happen to fold and not ask. When the ever lovable Three Stooges entered everyone became aware.

Shinji Ikari entered with a patch on his face and his left arm wrapped from the elbow down. Again any leg injuries were concealed. Other than that fact he seemed all right if not a bit nervous when he first entered.

Touji Suzahara entered with injuries similar to Shinji's, but instead his right arm was wrapped and he did not have a patch on his face.

Kensuke Aida had the worst of all the seven children that entered class today. His head, left arm, and right arm were all wrapped, and he was limping slightly indicating that he indeed had some lower level injuries.

Injuries aside the class was quite jealous that they got to go sky diving. Even if it didn't turn out the way they all had wanted it.

The teacher entered the classroom and Hikari did the usual 'Stand, Bow, Sit' command. But before she was able to return to her seat she was stop by the teacher.

"Miss Horaki, what happen to you?"

Hikari blushed in embarrassment and looked down.

"Ugh....nothing sir...just....a little accident while playing outside yesterday."

"Oh, okay." The teacher blinked. "You may sit."

Hikari did just that and let out a relieved breath.

"Now for attendance. Ladies first. Ayanami?"

"Here." Rei whispered

Growling in response the teacher began to rant. "I see she's not here to....day–huh?" Looking up in amazement at finally registering the fact that Rei was here, he saw her injuries as well. "What happen to you?"

Rei actually spared him a glance before returning her attention back out the window.

"Right...of course that secret NERV stuff. Anyways continuing on...."

By the time the teacher had finish taking role he was under the impression that something was really wrong when seven kids were all injured in similar fashions and six out of the seven claimed it to be from an incident from playing outside. He decided it was his civil duty as the teacher of these children to investigate.

********

Meanwhile...somewhere else....that somewhere else being NERV...

"Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki?" Maya address concern washing over her face as she saw the condition the older man was in upon his interest to the bridge.

He looked down at her and waited for her to continue.

Seeing that he was not going to say anything, she took the hint to go on. "What happen to you?"

Fuyutsuki was in no better condition than the children he had watched the yesterday and the sad thing was he could not even remember how they ended up going sky diving. The only thing he remembered was someone snapping their fingers, then a crazed blonde guy tossing him out of a plane. So Fuyutsuki ended up in the same conditions. Bandages covering his body and in a rather angry mood.

At first he glared at Maya for asking, but then decided it wasn't her fault and had plans already in progress to get the ones that did this to him. He lost his glare and gave her a small smile.

"Don't worry about it, Lt. Ibuki, just some minor injuries acquired from my day with the Children–nothing too serious I assure you."

Maya returned the smile and nodded before she turned around and attended to her work.

After a few minutes of silence, Fuyutsuki spoke up again. "I must take my leave. I am doing something of the utmost importance and will not be able to take any phone calls. Tell anyone that calls to leave a message with you, Lt. Ibuki."

"Yes, sir!"

"Thank you." 

With that Fuyutsuki turned and marched out of the bridge.

"What the hell could he have done with the Children to get injuries?" Makoto wondered.

Shigeru shrugged. "Not a damn clue, but did you see that memo in the breakroom?"

Makoto and Maya shook their heads. Shigeru sighed and explained. 

"It said: That three personal from the bridge crew are to sign up for two days out of the week to spend with the Children."

"Ugh....Why?" Makoto asked.

Shrugging again, Shigeru replied, "I don't know, but it also said that if no one volunteers, volunteers will be selected."

"I think I'll sign up." Maya said. 

Shigeru and Makoto stared at her as if she just announce she was in love with Dr. Akagi.

"What? Why are you guys staring at me like that!?"

*******

Kaji entered the Arena with a basketball in his hand. Behind him was Ritsuko who had a camera. In front of him was an irate Major Katsuragi and a patient Commander Ikari.

"C'mon, Kaji, let's get this over with." Misato rushed.

"Oh, don't worry my dear, things will move quickly." Kaji admitted.

"What's with the ball?" came her reply.

Grinning, Kaji, held up the ball for all to see. "Explain it to them, Dr. Akagi."

Ritsuko, grinning like a small child getting ice cream for the first time, explained. "You three are gonna play 'Horse'. The object of the game is to..."

"We are quite aware of the object of the game." Gendou interrupted. "If I may be so bode as to rush things along, but I do have a meeting in twenty minutes."

Kaji shrugged, Misato nodded, Ritsuko glared, Gendou took off his jacket.

*******

"So, Class Representative Horaki?" a sweet voice started.

Hikari looked up from her lunch. "Yes?"

"What exactly happened that led to you getting those injuries?" the blonde girl asked.

Hikari blinked and when she opened her eyes she had a faraway look in her eyes.

{flashes: Sky, plummeting to her death, screaming...}

Shaking herself from her trance, Hikari looked at the girl. "I'd rather not say."

"Oh, well, I'll go ask Suzahara then."

"Yeah, go ahead."

**********

"AHHHHHHH!" Misato screamed, holding her head. "This blows!"

"Major Katsuragi, calm down." Gendou ordered.

Misato turned to him. "I will not! This is your fault!"

Gendou continued to stare at her blankly. "Would you mind repeating that?"

"No, I don't. This is all your fault!"

Kaji was standing in the background, laughing up a storm with Ritsuko who held a camera in her hand.

"Your not suppose to be good at basketball!" she continued to rant.

"And why not?"

"Your....you're the Commander!" she answered.

"I do not see how my position makes a difference."

'Ah, geeze, that's where Rei gets it from.' Misato added to herself.

"Hey, Misato..." Ritsuko called. Misato looked at her. "Just be glad you're not losing!"

"Hey!" Kaji yelled. "I'm not losing that bad." 

"Oh, yes you are!" Ritsuko replied before going into another fit of laughter.

"Dr. Akagi aren't you suppose to be elsewhere?" Gendou inquired.

Laughing, Ritsuko glanced at her watch, and abruptly stopped laughing.

"Oh....shit....yeah, I do need to be going. Ta-ta." With that Ritsuko bolted out the door with a stream of curse words coming from her mouth.

"That was strange." Misato admitted.

Bouncing the ball, Kaji replied. "Yea...well, I'm not gonna lose." he went up for the shot.

*******

_Tokyo-3 Jr. High School_

Shinji stared at his computer screen like it held the answer to the meaning of life.

'Man I'm so bored.' He thought, blinking his eyes rapidly to stop them from hurting. He continued to stare at his screen when a message box popped up.

[K.Aida: You bored?]

Shinji blinked dumbly at the screen before it registered in his mind that someone was talking to him.

[S.Ikari: What do you think?]

[K.Aida: Okay, stupid question.]

[S.Ikari: Yea very stupid question. Now what do you want?]

[K.Aida: Well, I was just staring at my wife to be and got to thinking.]

Shinji scrunched his face up in confusion. The look disappeared just as soon as it came when all the information flooded back to his head. He sighed.

[S.Ikari: Okay, so you were looking at Ayanami and got to thinking about what?]

[K.Aida: I don't know very much about her.]

[S.Ikari: Oh, so you just wanted to share that with me, huh?]

Shinji heard Kensuke groan from his place at the back of the classroom.

[K.Aida: That's not where I'm going with this!]

[S.Ikari: So where are you going with this?]

[K.Aida: I want to get to know her better.]

Shinji rolled his eyes and replied.

[S.Ikari: So talking to me is helping you in your pursuit to get to know Ayanami better. I'm touched, slightly perturbed but touched at the same time.]

Something nailed Shinji in the back of the head. 

"OW! You idiot!" Shinji cried out as he picked up the pen that hit him in the head.

The teacher glared at Shinji. "Is something the matter Mr. Ikari?"

Shinji smiled sheepishly and showed the teacher the pen in his hand. "Ugh...dropped my pen."

Staring at the young man for a second the teacher just decided to ignore him and continue his lecture.

[S.Ikari: Why'd you hit me?]

[K.Aida: Stop being a smart ass.]

[K.Aida: Anyways the only reason I was talking to you was I wanted your help in this search for knowledge.]

[S.Ikari: Okay, and how can I help you with that?]

[K.Aida: By answering a few questions I have.]

[S.Ikari: Why not? What harm could it cause?]

[K.Aida: Exactly.]

[S.Ikari: So fire away.]

[K.Aida: Rei's favorite color?]

[S.Ikari: Don't know.]

[K.Aida: Favorite food?]

[S.Ikari: No clue.]

[K.Aida: Hobbies.]

[S.Ikari: Can't help you.]

By now Kensuke was growling.

[K.Aida: Favorite flower!? Geesh, c'mon man, you gotta have something.]

[S.Ikari: Nope, don't know.]

"For the love of all that isn't holy, Ikari, you're more useless than road kill!" Kensuke cried out, jumping out of his chair.

Shinji turned around, glaring at Kensuke. "Hey, I didn't say I was going to be much help!"

"Ikari! Aida! Buckets! NOW!" Shouted Hikari and the teacher at once.

Both boys glared at each other for a moment and cursed.

"Damn!"

"NOW!"

Both boys grumbled to themselves as they made they're way out into the hall.

*******

_NERV...._

"I...I...." Kaji stammered , his eyes wide in shock.

Misato, standing only a few feet in front of him grumbled something and looked back at him.

"I...I...."

Gendou Ikari stood near the door with the basketball in his hands.

"I....I....."

"Oh, C'mon on Kaji! Just accept it already!" Misato shouted. 

"I....I...."

Gendou looked at his watch. "I'm leaving. You'll figure it out yourselves." With that he left.

"I...I....I don't have to do it!!" Kaji cried. "Wahooo! Who's the master!? I'm the master!" Kaji screamed and did a little dance.

Misato blinked at him. "You idiot. It was a tie. We have to stop 'cause of the meetings we need to go to."

Kaji stopped celebrating and glared at her for being right. "Shut-up. Anyways, since it's a tie, who's going to do it?"

Misato took a step back. "Not me!" with that she ran.

Kaji stood there in surprise. "Hey! I don't want to do it either! Looks like its time to pull the spares in. I'd be damn if I went now." 

And Kaji left the basketball court as well.

*********

_Bridge_

"So, Maya, still thinking about hanging out with the kids?" Makoto asked, looking over at the brown-haired woman.

Maya timidly shook her head.

"Oh, why not?" 

"Well, those injuries the Sub-Commander had are starting to get to me."

"Really?" Makoto and Shigeru coursed.

"Yea...how could someone get injuries like that hanging with the Children. I keep wondering is that going to happen to me?"

Makoto and Shigeru exchanged a glance and looked to the roof in thought.

{Flash: The five Children with glowing red eyes and evil grins surrounding a distraught Fuyutsuki as he pleads for mercy. They all produce some kind of torture device and advance on the crying man.}

Shaking the thought out of their minds they turned back to Maya.

"Yea...well, just be glad you didn't sign up."

"Yes, I am." Maya sighed.

Misato entered the room in a quicken pace. "Quick, someone write there name down on this piece of paper without reading it!"

"Wha...!?" Stammered the Bridge Bunnies.

"Why the hell would we want to do that?" Makoto asked.

Misato looked at him with a slight glare. "Because I said so."

They stared at her blankly.

"What's it say?" Shigeru wondered.

"Does it matter what it says!? Just do it or I'm cutting your paychecks."

"You can't do that!" Makoto countered.

"I have ways!"

"All you have to do is tell us what it says!"

"It doesn't matter what it says!"

"Its obviously something bad!" Shigeru joined in.

"It is not!"

"I don't know...you do seem pretty desperate." Maya added.

Misato let out a loud sigh. "Oh MY GOD! Will you people just work with me here!?" With nothing left to do Misato turned and started to stomp out of the room, but before she got very far, she froze.

The Bridge Bunnies looked on as they watch their commanding officer stop in her tracks.

Misato suddenly whirled around with her gun drawn and pointed at the trio.

"Major! What is the meaning of this?" Maya demanded.

"Sign or die!" Misato threaten.

They froze and looked at each other.

"Sh-she looks pretty serious." Shigeru noted.

Makoto and Maya nodded in agreement.

Misato smiled at the three in a rather psychotic way. "So I take it you're going to sign?"

The Bridge Bunnies nodded. She handed them over the paper and they all signed their names to it even though she only asked for one.

"Ahh, great, thanks a whole bunch. Catch ya later." Misato started to stalk off.

"Ugh...ahh...Major Katsuragi!" Makoto called after her. She stopped, and turned her head to look at him. "Exactly what did we sign?"

"Oh, yeah!" Misato hit herself on the head. "Silly me. Why you just agreed to spend the day with the Children. Later!"

That little bit of information didn't sink in till the three got the feeling that they were going to die out of their system.

"WE DID WHAT!?" came the collective scream of the now furious Bridge Bunnies.

*******

_Tokyo-3 Jr. High_

Asuka stretched her arms and yawned as she stood up and prepared to exit the room for lunch. Looking around for any sight of Hikari her eyes landed on something else.

Rei Ayanami.

More precisely, Rei Ayanami staring out of the window.

The very same window Asuka remember wondering what was so interesting that it held the attention of the First Child throughout the day.

Hikari made her entrance just as Asuka began to march towards the Pilot of Unit-Zero.

"Hey, Asuka you're not going to start trouble are you?" she asked.

Asuka spared the girl a glance before continuing her trip.

She stopped at Rei's desk. Looked at Rei, who glanced up at her for a second and then returned her attention to the window. Asuka looked out the window. She squinted her eyes. Her eyes showed interest. She kneeled down and placed her arms on Rei's desk and put her chin between her thumb and fore finger. She stared.

"Ugh...Asuka?" Hikari called. No answer. 'What the heck is so interesting?' Hikari walked over to the window. Both Children gave her looked her way before looking back out the window. Hikari looked out the window, leaned forward. She stared.

That's exactly how Shinji Ikari, Touji Suzahara, Kensuke Aida, and Kaworu Nagisa found the three girls when they entered the room.

"Ugh...what the hell is going on?" Touji wondered.

His response was silence. 

The four boys exchange glances and looked back at the three girls.

Kaworu was the first to move. "Well, let's see what's so interesting."

He moved till he was standing behind Asuka. His eyebrow quirked and he stared.

The three stooges all shrugged at each other.

"Do we dare ventured forth into the unknown and be suck in as well?" Shinji asked.

"Why the hell not?" Touji agreed.

They walked over the window and crowded around Rei's desk. First they gave each other a final glance, then looked at the others already transfixed on what was outside. Finally they looked out the window. And seven children found themselves staring out a window for lunch time.

And somewhere underground, three NERV technicians found themselves looking on the internet on things to do in Tokyo-3 with children.

-End Intermission 2-

A/N: Ahh, well that was nice and entertaining wasn't it? Oh, it wasn't, well then whatever. I'll eventually tell you what caught everyone's attention. Other than that, stay tune for the Day Three to be popping up soon. It's done I just need to edit and let it sit for a few days and reread it and stuff. Till then I you: A deleted scene! Wow!

This is the actual falling scene that I choose not to include it starts just after Rei pushes Kensuke out of the plane during Day Two. 

And Kensuke went tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down...

Everyone seemingly recovered from their shock.

"Did Ayanami just shove Kensuke out of the plane?" Shinji asked, staring at the blue-haired girl in disbelief.

Asuka nodded. "Yes...yes she did."

"He's showing some initiative. How about you Commander!?"

"..........."

"Well?"

Shinji looked at Asuka. "Maybe you should let the old man's dying moment be his own."

Asuka sighed. "Fine...fine." she walked over to Fuyutsuki and placed her hand in front of his eyes. "When I snap my fingers you will return to normal and remember nothing up to this point."

'Might as well kill her too.' Rei thought and charged at Asuka.

"One...two...TH-OoF!" And out the plane Asuka and Ayanami went.

Kaworu blinked. "Did Ayanami just tackle Asuka out of the plane?"

Shinji nodded slowly. "Yes...yes, I believe she did."

Suddenly, Shinji felt someone grip his parachute and pull him. 

"C'mon Third!" Link squealed in delight. "It'll be fun."

"Wa-wa-wait!" Shinji pleaded.

"No, time's a wastin'! LET'S ROLL!" And the Third Child was gone.

_Meanwhile falling to their possible deaths...._

"FIRST!" Asuka shouted enraged. "How dare you!?"

Rei looked at Asuka and then pushed away from her and started to free fall alone.

"I hate you!" Asuka added.

Rei didn't hear her. Of course Rei didn't hear her. When you've got all that wind blowing at your face you're not really gonna hear somebody.

Kensuke was a little further below saying the same thing, but yet he didn't mean it as much as Asuka did.

Shinji just happen to catch up to Asuka, maybe it was becuase he was lighter or something, but he was now even with Asuka and Rei. He looked to his left. Asuka, who was doing a great job at flicking Rei off. He looked to his right. Rei was just letting herself fall headfirst with her arms folded over her chest and eyes closed.

'Riiight, only Ayanami would find this relaxing.'

Touji plowed through them. He had increased his speed by pushing his arms further back and was enjoying himself.

"YAHOOOO!" he cheered, managing to do a 360.

Shinji watched him and did one of his own. "Hey, that was pretty fun." he did another one, then started doing all sorts of flips and stuff.

Kaworu and Hikari were further above them flailing about and crying and clinging to each other for cowardly support. They weren't enjoying themselves in the least. And what sucked more for Kaworu was he knew he could save himself but couldn't use his AT field to save his life therefore screwing him over and making him suffer for it. 

_'Stupid free will!'_ he cursed in thought. Outwardly though he let himself scream like a little girl whose ice cream got taken by some big fat guy name joe.

Asuka finally decided to join in the flipping fun and she too found this to be enjoyable.

Shinji manage to look in the direction of Rei to see if she had decided to join in on the fun. Instead she was still descending the same way. She almost looked dead. Finally her eyes open, she mouth something to Shinji, then flip so her feet right side up.

Shinji didn't catch what she said and he soon discovered that he wish he had. Below him, Kensuke was frantically pulling at his rings, but it was too late and he end up in the forest. Shinji soon found out that what Rei was telling him. He confirmed that when he saw her and Asuka pull out their parachute.

He cursed loudly and angrily as he crashed into the trees.


	7. Day Three: The Best Day Ever?

A/N: Got a couple of reviews saying I picked on Shinji and his friends too much. Well then I'd like to tell you right now that poor Kensuke's getting his ass handed to him in this chapter. I knew I was picking on Kensuke too much, but Shinji I didn't really know I was picking on that much. Well, whatever I'll lighten up or try to.

Day Three: The Best Day Ever...

A group of seven fourteen year olds made their way down the street with no intended destination in mind.

Shinji Ikari looked at each of his companions for a moment then looked up to the sky in thought. "Ugh...so we're suppose to go to NERV, right?"

"For what?" Touji and Asuka chorused.

"For that whole non-neglecting thing. They are still doing it, right?"

"Oh, yeah, that, I guess we should be still doing that." Touji replied, scratching his head in thought.

Kaworu, who was paying the conversation no attention at all, turned his head around and watched the black SUV slowly cruise behind them. At first he thought it was Section-2 doing a real bad job at following them, but then he had seen the Section-2 agents' car just as it pulled off the curve and went elsewhere to watch them. Now this other black vehicle was following them.

_'I could just use my AT field and eliminate the threat before the others even catch wind of it.'_

"Whose the lame ass doing a bad job at following us?" Asuka grunted, gesturing at the very same SUV Kaworu was looking at with a tilt of her head.

"Oh, so you've notice them as well." Kaworu replied. _'Damn, so much for the AT field idea.'_

"Maybe we should run." Hikari suggested.

"We could all stare blankly at them and see if they enjoy that!" Asuka thought up. While saying said statement she was clearly giving the First Child a glare. "I know I get freaked when certain persons stare at me that way."

Rei stared at her blankly. Asuka growled in frustration. Rei turned away with a small grin on her face.

Getting over Rei staring at her, Asuka looked back at the SUV. "That," she started, her temper rising, as she pointed at the vehicle, "is getting on my nerves."

Touji, was not to happy with what he was about to say, said it anyways, "Yeah, I have to agree."

Because of said agreement between Touji and Asuka, Kensuke trip over himself and stumble into Shinji. Who almost stumble into Hikari had he not caught himself.

"Hey, Kensuke, watch what your doing!" Shinji yelled. He turned to Hikari and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Class Rep."

"Oh, I get a 'watch what your doing', but she gets a smile and an apology. Never mind the fact that I could have died!"

Shinji shifted his eyes in Kensuke's direction. "Are you going anywhere with this?"

"Yes, actually I am!" came the growled reply. "You see, I have someone that would have a broken heart if I die."

"Who's that?" Kaworu asked honestly, blinking in confusion.

Kensuke stopped for a second and then pointed at none other than Rei Ayanami.

"Why the beautiful and mysterious Rei Ayanami, that's who."

Unless Shinji's eyes were playing tricks on him, he was sure Rei started walking faster.

Asuka, who couldn't figure out why she had let this go on for as long as it did, grabbed Kensuke by the back of his shirt and pulled him in a headlock.

"Ow....hey, Asuka! Let go!"

"Anyways, what were we discussing before this stooge decided to annoy us with his obsessive stalking behavior."

"HEEEEEY, I'm not a stalker."

_'I think he's a stalker.' _Shinji admitted to himself.

"Ignoring YOU now." Asuka interrupted. "What were we talking about?"

"Oh, NERV!" Hikari remembered. "You guys were trying to remember if you had to go there for the program today."

"Oh yeah...."

Shinji sighed and looked at his injuries. "I don't know...."

"Well, that's a first," Asuka said, mockingly. "The Third Child doesn't know."

Shinji just choose to glare at her and not comment.

"Anyway, do you think we even should be doing anything with these injuries?"

"You act like they're bad." Touji admitted, poking at one of his. "Just a bunch of scratches."

Kensuke, who was still in the headlock by Asuka, huffed angrily at him. "Speak for yourself. I hurt my ankle and as happy as I am to get out of P.E. for it, a injured ankle keeps you from doing fun activities."

"That's okay, you're not invited." Asuka replied, adding a noogie to the torture.

"Ahh, stop it Asuka!"

"Kensuke's just mad 'cause Ayanami was the one to push him out the plane." Kaworu added.

Kensuke groaned. "Hey, don't remind me and the wife about our little arguments."

Shinji chuckled as the mental image of Kensuke flying out the plane's door came to mind. "But it was funny!"

Asuka frowned and tighten her hold on Kensuke, and looked at the ever silent Rei as she walked a little ahead. "Hey, you owe me for what I'm about to do for you Wondergirl."

Rei glanced back and watch as Asuka gave Kensuke a serious of noogies that drill into his scape.

"AHH! Stop that Asuka, it hurts!"

"Ahh," Kaworu sighed, from his position next to Rei. "the noogie, one of the worst possible tortures one could place on another human being." He grinned and turned to Rei who was giving him her attention. "You should be grateful to Asuka, Rei. She's going through a lot of trouble giving Kensuke that noogie."

Rei looked back at Asuka. "It looks as if she is enjoying herself more so than I."

There was a sniff from Rei's other side and she turned to see Shinji and Touji bowing there heads in respect towards Kensuke while fake crying, well she assumed they were faking anyway.

"And let God be with your head, Kensuke." Touji prayed.

"He was a good man." Shinji started raising his head to look at the abuse their friend was getting. "A little perverted, A little obsessive. A little too much of a fanatic. A little stupid too."

Touji stared at the Third Child for a moment. Thinking he was done, Touji began.

"Even though he was all those-..."

"A little weird. And I really am starting to worry for Ayanami's safety with the way he's been going about planning to marry her. Mistato's too."

Touji's left eyebrow twitched as he listen to Shinji rambled.

"He's also very noisy. And what with that camera all the damn time."

Touji's fist began to twitch because of Shinji's rambling.

Shinji looked at Kensuke at length before turning to Touji with a slight smile.

"But even though he's all that, he's a stooge and one that can take a noogie from Asuka." With that he saluted, turned around and began his march off into the sunset.

"Ugh.....Ikari, don't think me rude or anything, but isn't NERV the other way?" Hikari asked, when she noticed Shinji walking off.

"WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME!?" Kensuke cried, waving his frantically. "Oh my God, my head is on fire!"

"Oooh, sorry, Ken, if it were anybody but the Class Rep's best friend." Touji replied.

"If you didn't deserve it." Hikari explained.

"If it wasn't so funny." Kaworu admitted.

"If it were anyone but Asuka." Shinji muttered, rejoining the group.

Rei stood there for a minute watching the scene unfold before her eyes. Finally she said:

"If I cared."

Asuka smiled a very evil smile after Rei's comment. She looked down at Kensuke and stopped for a second. "Wow, if you weren't a pervert." She chuckled out.

Kensuke looked up at Asuka in horror as he tried to squirm free. No such luck. The torture continued.

_Several minutes later...._

Rei blinked and looked at her watch, then she glanced to her left at the NERV SUV parked near the curve. She then turned her attention to the torture Asuka was giving Kensuke.

"Pardon my intrusion on your fun, Second Child, but I think we should find out why that SUV is still there."

Asuka stopped and stared at Rei. Kensuke beamed like a little child.

Shinji and Kaworu shook there heads.

"You just put yourself in a bad position, Ayanami." Shinji explained to her. Rei blinked at him for a whole two seconds.

"What do you mean?"

"Well....Kensuke's now gonna think you stopped Asuka to save him. And considering he's got that crush on you and everything."

Blink. Blank stare. Blink.

Shinji sighed and stared back at the blue haired girl. "You've got no idea what I'm talking, huh?"

"I would if you explain yourself a little better." came the reply.

Shinji groaned and looked at Kaworu. "You explain. I tried."

"So easy to give up, aren't you Shinji?"

Shinji glared at him. "Shut-up."

"Yeah, well, I hate to interrupt, but if I have to stop torturing the stooge here, then we're gonna go check out the stupid car over there." Asuka stated.

Hikari held her breath. "I don't think we should go over there, Asuka?"

Asuka stopped and turned to her. "Why not?"

"It may not be safe."

"Oh, please." Touji choose to reply. "If whoever's in that car hasn't done anything yet, then I think they're more scare of us than we are of them."

"Yeah, unfortunately I have to agree with the monkey."

Hikari stared at the two of them for a moment before turning around to face the others.

"....now you see Rei when the bird and the bee come together...."

"Kaworu!" Shinji growled. "I told you to explain what the hell I just said to her not teach her the birds and the bees!"

Kaworu looked at the Third Child blankly. "But Shinji to explain that to her she must understand the origin of it all."

_'You have problems.'_ Shinji stared at his silver haired friend for a minute and then finally he let a deep breath and looked at the others. "Can I help you with something? Right now we are currently learning about the Birds and the Bees. Later on today, we'll be learning how to hit on the opposite sex." Shinji clicked his tongue, grinned and winked at Asuka while shooting her with a finger gun. "How ya doin', sexy?"

Six pairs of eyes landed on him.

"Third Child," Asuka began calmly, starting towards the vehicle. "I'm kicking your ass for that comment later on."

Shinji looked at the ground with a sigh. _'I imagined you would.'_

"Shin-man, I didn't think you had it in you to say something like that!" Touji teased, giving him a punch on the arm.

"So anyways, the bird opens its.....hm?"

Rei, who had just been staring ahead the whole time Kaworu was explaining, finally looked at him. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes, actually there is."

"What's the problem then?" Touji spoke. "You were doing a fine job explaining."

"The thought just occur to me. How exactly can a bird and a bee mate? I learned that one could not mate outside of their species."

There was a silence.

"Why is it that every time we try to go to this car, you idiots stop to ponder the universe?" Asuka wondered.

"I like the universe." Kaworu grinned at his answer.

"Yea, well, like it later, I wanna find out who's in the car." 

-----------

"Oh, no!" Maya gasped, "They're coming over...."

Shigeru snapped his attention to Makoto, who was the driver. "Start the car, retreat, retreat, we'll pretend to be spending time with them later."

Makoto was stretching his hand down near his feet, straining to reach for something.

"What's taking so long? Go." Shigeru cried.

"I dropped the keys."

"How'd you do that!?" Screamed a distressed Maya.

"I was using the nail clipper and pulled them out." came the strained reply.

"OH GOD!"

"C'mon, where are you?"

"What the hell are you three doing?" a new voice inquired.

The three bridge bunnies froze in their spots.

_'They can't see me, they can't see me, they can't see me.' _Maya shrank further into the backseat. _'They can't see me, they can't see me, they can't see me.'_

Shigeru's eye and mouth twitch simultaneously as he stared at the glaring Asuka out his window. "Ugh....Second Child, a pleasure, as always."

_'I can try and sneak away. I'll leave the others to this punishment.' _Makoto, cautiously reached for his door handle, but when he turned around he found Touji and Kaworu standing next to his door.

_'We're trap!' _Three minds screamed.

There was a moment of still silence as the children waited for one of the Bridge Bunnies to deliver a reply to Asuka's question.

"I'm going to ask you again and then I'm going to get those Section-2 guys to handle you." Asuka warned, narrowing her eyes in a very threatening matter, "What are you doing?"

Three pairs of eyes exchanged fearful glances. They were sure they were in a similar situation as the Sub-Commander. They huddled together.

"Better explain ourselves." Makoto spoke, right when they circled up.

"Yea....who's knows what'll happen if we don't." Maya admitted. "We might end up like the Sub-Commander."

"Okay, then." Shigeru started, "Let's just tell them what's going on."

The three broke their circle and looked back at the group.

"We're here to spend time with you." Shigeru answered, happily.

"Cause we appreciate and love you!" Maya added, quickly.

Makoto smiled and gave Touji and Kaworu the peace sign.

A very long pregnant silence followed.

"Right..." Started Touji, unsure of what else to say. "So you're stuck doing it today, eh?" The grin he plastered on his face following that comment didn't make the three technicians comfortable and safe.

The back door suddenly flew open, nearly giving Maya a heart attack, and in climbed Shinji, followed by Kensuke and the two of them got in the far back.

Touji and Kaworu came in from the other side, Kaworu joining the other two in the back, to Kensuke's dismay as he was trying to coax Rei into joining him. Touji closed his door.

"Fourth, crawl in the back!" Asuka ordered.

"Wha..? Why!?" He barked back.

"Because, moron, the rest of us have to get in that seat and all five of us can't fit there."

"Well, four guys can't fit in the back!" He pointed out. "One of you will have to go."

"Oh, Rei can come!" Kensuke offered, quickly. "She's small enough."

Asuka's left eye twitch. "No matter how much I dislike Wondergirl, I would never subject her to sitting back there with a bunch of perverts."

"Well, someone's gotta go. I can't fit." Touji admitted.

Hikari promptly popped up from behind Asuka.

"You'll find a way, Suzahara or face my wrath!"

Touji sat there for a moment, weighing his options. _'Squeeze in the back or face Hikari's wrath, and probably Asuka's.' _He gave both girls a long look. _'Hikari's...andAsuka's wrath or the back.'_

Finally coming to a decision, Touji turned to his fellow men and shrugged.

"Sorry guys, it's gonna be a tight fit."

With that he climbed over the seat and forced his way back there.

"I hate you, Touji!" Kensuke cried.

Shinji rolled his eyes in Kensuke's direction. "Can you get your mind off of Ayanami for one minute?"

Kensuke pouted slightly. "No...I've tried...it's very hard."

Shinji rolled his eyes up. "Well, at least you've tried." _'God damn stalker!'_

Makoto and Shigeru were staring at the back with confused stares.

"Hey, why did you get in the car?" Makoto wondered.

"So you can take us to where ever it is you're taking us and let this day be over with." Asuka answered.

"Right..."

"So, where are you taking us anyway?" Kaworu asked. "The museum, I hope."

He received several glares before anyone answered.

"Well, actually," Maya chuckled. "We were actually just planning on following you in the car and pretend to do this."

"In that case, I shall leave." Rei announced, reaching for the door handle.

"Hold your horses, Wondergirl." Asuka stopped, grabbing the girl's hand. "We're in here, uncomfortable might I add, and we're suppose to be treated to a day of fun activities, so we're getting treated to a day of fun or someone's gonna get fired in the morning."

And the three bridge bunnies believed it so.

"Ahh....give us a sec. will ya?" Shigeru motioned for the other two to huddle together.

"Where can we take them?"

"I don't wanna lose my job." whined Makoto.

"Me neither." Maya added.

"Well, we gotta think quick." Shigeru reminded.

"Ugh...well, let's just drive around and see if we can find anything."

"That...umm...sounds okay, I guess."

"Sounds fine to me. Let's just hope they don't get grumpy."

_Thirty Minutes Later..._

Makoto was sweating bullets. Thirty minutes and they still had found nothing to do and the kids were starting....no they were upset and very uncomfortable apparently. Being upset and uncomfortable meant that he and his two compatriots were about to lose their jobs.

"There!" screamed a frantic Maya, jabbing her hand in the direction of whatever she had found. "Let's go there!"

Shigeru and Makoto followed her finger and both smiled. "What a great idea Maya!"

-----------

{Price check on Tampons, can I get a price check on Tampons...}

Kaworu's eyebrow rose as high as it could go. "Why are we at the grocery store?"

His confusion was countered with a squeal from both Asuka and Shinji as they ran towards the produce aisle.

"FOOOOOOD!" they cried in delight.

"Beautiful real food." Shinji cried out as he picked up an apple holding for Asuka to see.

She looked at it in a loving matter as a tear ran down her cheek. "Is it...is it real?"

"Should we worried that the Second and Third Children are going on about being here as if they were suffering from starvation?" Maya asked Shigeru.

"Somehow I think we are suppose to worry, but I really just want to get this over with."

"Again I ask: Why are we at the grocery store?"

Shigeru turned to the other children who weren't beaming with excitement like Shinji and Asuka.

"We decided that you all should learn how to shop for yourselves."

Kaworu stared at the three technicians like they were stupid. "Ugh...I kinda know how to do that already. I live alone."

Makoto patted Kaworu on the back. "Well, good for you, the others can learn something."

"That's right." Maya agreed, "and besides there are other things here besides food. Like this for example." She plucked the stuffed cat from it spot on the shelf and motion in Rei's direction. "Isn't it cute, Rei?" She brushed the stuff cat on Rei's face, earning at small frown from the girl. "Ooooh, I think someone likes you."

Rei just choose not to reply to that. _'Mental note: Kill Lt. Ibuki.'_

"Who wants a little kitty kiss? I think you do..." Maya continued, her voice sounding as if she was talking to a little baby.

Shigeru and Makoto just ignored that altogether and turned to the others. "Well, anyways, the first lesson in shopping is to get a basket. Now everyone get a basket."

"Oh my GOD! Look Asuka, its not instant!" Screamed a very happy Shinji.

Everyone turned to see Shinji holding up some lettuce as he showed it off to Asuka who was hovering over the grapes with a smile plastered on her face.

Makoto blinked and tried to ignored what was going on while he reached for a basket.

"I still can't believe we're at the grocery store." Kaworu brought up again.

"Shut-up and grab a basket." Touji growled. "At least we're gettin' free food outta of this."

Shigeru turned from the happy Second and Third Children back to the others. "Okay, now partner up and get to shopping. Who wants to come with me?"

Shigeru frowned when he saw the lack of volunteers jumping to go with him.

"Yeah, since I already know how to do this, can I just go somewhere else?" Kaworu wondered. "Like away from you nut jobs..." he added silently to himself.

"No! And that's final Kaworu." snapped Shigeru.

Kaworu rolled his eyes. "You don't have to be mean about it."

"I'll go with you, Mr. Aoba." Hikari spoke up.

"Yeah, yeah I guess I'll go with you too." grumbled Kaworu.

"I'll take Rei and Touji!" Maya cheered waving her little stuffed cat in the air.

Touji grinned a little pervert grin, Rei frowned. Maya didn't catch either reaction.

"So I guess that leaves Makoto with those two and him." Shigeru finished.

Makoto turned around from watching Shinji and Asuka to the others. "Huh?"

"You got those two and him." Maya explained, pointing first at 'those two' and Kensuke.

"Oh, well, that's fine."

"Why can't I come with you, Miss Ibuki?" Kensuke whined.

Maya looked at him for a moment. "Umm....that is because....err...I don't..."

Rei decided to intervene before she had more trouble and a murder charge on her hands.

"Maybe Lt. Ibuki does not wish to handle children that are not under her command."

"Yea!" Maya agreed, "That's the reason. Whew couldn't explain that one very well."_ 'That and you're a damn stalker, you damn stalker!'_

"Well, anyways, see ya at the check-out line." Makoto waved and he and Kensuke set off to join Shinji and Asuka in the produce aisle.

-----------

"Man," sighed Shinji as he stared down at the orange in his hand. "I wish I could just eat you."

"Umm...you know you can throw it in the basket and we can buy it." Makoto informed them.

Makoto had never seen Shinji so happy before. The boy's eyes lit up like a fire cracker and his grin actually reached his ears. Asuka was also extremely happy to hear this news. Maybe they should be worried about the Children's welfare.

"We....we....we can buy this stuff?" Shinji confirmed. When Makoto nodded, they danced in a circle, electing a groan of annoyance from the already annoyed Kensuke, and thanked God.

"Oh, geeze, they act like they don't eat nothing."

"I consider eating instant food eating nothing." Asuka replied, dropping three bags of grapes into the basket. Shinji followed her with a bunch of fresh vegetables.

"This has got to be the best trip all week." Asuka commented as she walked ahead. "How much can we get?"

"Well...." Makoto thought, pulling out a rather large wad of cash. "I really don't know how much money is here, but I'm betting we could probably buy the store if we wanted to." Noticing the looks Shinji and Asuka were giving him he continued on. "No, we're not buying the store."

Both looked slightly heartbroken, but were quick to recover when they entered the meat aisle.

-----------

There were only three people in this aisle, Rei noticed. Touji, who was at the other end shopping with a jubilant attitude, Lt. Ibuki, who was in the middle reading the back of a can, and herself, standing farther away from the other two as much as possible.

Rei was already quite frustrated with the young tech. Adding the already built up frustration with the new level of annoyance Maya had manage to reach with that stupid stuff cat Rei was on the verge of doing one of two things: Killing herself or killing Maya.

Trying to get her mind off of the subject, now that Maya had decided to stop bugging her with the cat, Rei turned to the shelf filled with various can of food. It was just her ever so present luck that the whole shelf contain canned meat products.

Rei's left eye twitched. Had someone seen it, they would have died from surprise.

_'This...this is not...' _Sighing, Rei reached absently for something on the shelf. _'I am getting annoyed.'_

"You look a bit lonely, Rei." Maya called, giving a small grin in the blue-haired girl's direction. "Wanna friend?" While saying this comment she brought up into view the stuffed cat.

Rei turned her to face the shelf. She looked down at the can in her hand, doing her best to ignore Maya.

-----------

"Hey, if we can find the ingredients I can make it." Hikari spoke, finishing up a conversation she was having with Shigeru and Kaworu.

"Really? Wow, that sounds great." Shigeru commented, grinning. "How come your not a Child? We could use more normal, FRIENDLY, kids."

Kaworu cast him a very solid, very deadly glare before turning his attention to the magazine he grabbed.

_'Stupid humans...I swear!'_

"So all we need is some frozen squid, chopped onions, or whole ones, I'm just trying to make life easier on you guys." Hikari continued, holding her fingers up so she could go down the list.

"Look whatever we need, you can have, I just wanna try that pizza!" Shigeru agreed. "The Children never offered to do things for us. And we monitor their heart rates and stuff.

"We don't have to do anything for you!" Kaworu argued back. "We save the world, that's all the favors you get."

Hikari sighed and walked ahead; she was trying to stop them from going back to THAT particular argument, but it look like all she did was make it worse.

"And whose bright idea was it to bring us to a damn grocery store? I got a good mind to just wipe out existence!"

"You crazy boy, you're babbling again about wiping out existence and stuff. Get some help."

Kaworu growled. "I'll get some help oh right, I'll get some help."

Shigeru growled back, taking the challenge.

The stare down began. Again, Hikari noted with a loud sigh.

-----------

Maya continued to read the contents on the back of the packages and cans before either putting them back or placing them in her basket.

"No...no...too many calories." She whispered to herself and leaned to place the box back down on its spot on the lower shelf.

Just as she leaned a heavy, very solid can like object breezed over her head and continued on. There was a yelp of surprise and Touji Suzahara was the unfortunate victim that got hit in the head with said can like object.

Hearing the scream, Maya snapped her head in that direction and watched as Touji sat up and rubbed his head while searching the area in confusion.

"...who the hell threw that?"

Maya started to rush forward to the younger boy when a can whizzed by her face. She froze in fear as she literally felt the air brush pass as the can continued its trip down the aisle nearly hitting Touji again. Before she could move again another can flew this time brushing against her hair and went down the aisle and causing the newly raised Touji to double over in pain and collapsed back to the ground clutching his gut.

_'Oh...my...God...someone is trying to kill the poor boy with cans.' _Maya thought, watching in fear.

Rei Ayanami adjusted her aim and tried again...

-----------

Shinji Ikari ducked a flying can as he entered the canned food aisle and looked around in confusion.

"Get down!" Touji yelled, grabbing Shinji by his shirt before quickly dropping to the floor as another barrage of flying cans was sent.

"Shinji?" Asuka called walking into view only to jump to the side to avoid cans. "What the hell is going on!?"

"Runaway Asuka!" Maya cried, "The First Child has gone completely mad!"

_'I'm not mad!' _Rei thought, angrily, _'Just highly annoyed. Why can't I hit you!?'_

"What's wrong, Asuka?" Kensuke asked, "And what's all the..."

THUNK!

Kensuke grinned a stupid grin and fell to the ground.

Everyone froze as they watched the unconscious boy sprawled on the ground.

Rei stopped in mid-throw and put the can down. The shelf she stood next to a bit more empty than it had been before.

_'I feel unusually satisfied, even if it wasn't the person I wanted to hit.'_

"Umm..." Makoto's voice sounded from around the corner. "Is it okay to come out now? She's not still tossing cans is she?"

Shinji dared to raise his head from the ground and stole a look in Rei's direction. "Err...I think she's done."

Rei stood there for a minute took a deep breath and then cast a very deadly glare at Maya. "I am allergic to cats, Lt. Ibuki, therefore I do not like them. Do you understand?"

It should be noted that Maya had not moved from the spot she was standing in and was only a few seconds from peeing on herself, but she understood and to show that she understood she squeaked and nodded her head vigorously.

Shinji and Touji pulled themselves off the floor and looked at Rei in disbelief.

"Wow, never piss Ayanami off." Touji commented, with Shinji agreeing whole heartily.

"Is someone going to tell me what the hell is going on!?" demanded an irritated Asuka, as she peeped around the corner. "Wondergirl are you quite done trying to kill us all?"

_'No.' _Rei thought. Outwardly she gave no reply and gave Asuka a blank stare.

That very same blank stare that just pissed Asuka off to no end. Asuka was happy before Rei gave her that stare. Now, she just wanted to wipe that damn stare off of Rei's face.

A can was picked up. Shinji and Touji found themselves back on the ground, covering their heads.

-----------

In the relativity quiet part of the grand store, Kaworu picked out a few assorted items and dropped them in the basket. Not too far ahead was Hikari and Shigeru shopping for the ingredients to Hikari super deluxe pizza that she offered to make him.

Kaworu grumbled and looked back at the shelf. _'Man, this is so boring! We never get to do what I want to do. It must have something to do with the fact that I'm not the dominate male.' _

Kaworu grinned in a very evil like manner. Many who passed by swear the boy was a devil in disuse and they weren't that far off. Even if he hadn't done anything evil like just yet, Kaworu was an angel and he was sent to fuse himself with Adam and end the world. Though his origins true, Kaworu's thoughts were far from fusing with Adam and ending the world. He actually had no intention. Well right now anyways.

_'I shall make it my sole duty to put these others males in their place and get what I want out of this week before its, well, over.' _With his plan somewhat formed, Kaworu grinned again and balled his hand into a fist, crushing the contents of what he was holding in the process.

"What? Oh shit! This stupid jello is on my pants now!"

-----------

Rei gracefully stepped out of the way of an incoming can of what appeared to be tuna.

Said action did not make Asuka any happier and she picked up another and tried her luck again.

"Stand still, so I can wipe that blank look off your face!" She shouted.

Shinji looked over at Asuka. "C'mon, Asuka, let's not ruin our day with violence."

"That has already been done." Makoto commented.

Another can flew, another can was dodged. The process continued till Asuka screamed as loud as she could.

"AHHH! Wondergirl, stop staring at me like that?"

Rei blinked. "Staring at you like what?" she inquired.

"Like that! Stop staring at me like that!" Asuka screamed. "Smirk at me, laugh at me, glare at me. Do anything but stare at me with that blank look."

"She's asking a bit much, isn't she?" Touji spoke. "Asking Ayanami to actually express her emotion. The polar ice caps will melt before that happens."

Shinji chuckled nervously as he listen to Touji. "I...don't know....Ayanami expresses herself. Just differently."

"Okay, Wondergirl," Asuka started in a bargaining tone. "I'll..umm be nicer to you if every time you look at me you grin like a psycho. How's that?"

Rei quirked her eyebrow, giving Asuka a look that apparently said 'I think YOU'RE the psycho'. "Why would I want to do that?"

Asuka sighed and turned around. "That's better than nothing." Satisfied that Rei gave her some kind of facial expression Asuka started her trip out of the aisle. "C'mon, idiot, let's go get our food."

-----------

"Wai...wait...calm down!" Shigeru shouted. "What do you mean my friends are in the next aisle over destroying the place?"

The manager, a short puffy kind of man, nodded as he took deep breaths. "That's right, your friends are destroying MY store."

Hikari and Kaworu exchanged glances. Neither were filled with disbelief. They actually had looks that said: 'I was expecting this'

Shigeru exchange glances at them before speaking to the manager again. "How do you know they're my friends?"

"Because I saw you come in with them!" the already irritated man yelled.

Shigeru sweat dropped. "Oh, that makes sense."

There was a brief silence. The manager tapped his foot on the ground in a sign of impatience.

"Well!?" He finally said.

"Well what!?" Shigeru shouted back, shaking his arms in the air.

"Are you going to do something?"

"I just want pizza!" came the cry.

-----------

Maya was pressed again one of the shelves, teeth chattering and body shaking like she was suffering from a seizure. Makoto was trying to calm her down by assuring her that nothing else was going to fly at her head.

"Maya, trust me, nothing else will happen. Isn't that right guys?"

The replies were nonexistent and Makoto turned to relies that the four Children had gone elsewhere, leaving him with a unconscious Kensuke and frighten to death Maya.

Groaning, Makoto smacked himself with a box of noodles. "Oh...man...."

Maya managed to squeak out a reply. "What's wrong?"

"Lost the kids."

Maya knew she shouldn't have felt relieved to loose the only means of saving the world, but she couldn't help herself. She let out the breath she was holding and then thanked every God that still loved her that things were finally looking up.

-----------

"Let's get these!"

"Oh, and these!"

"We have to get these!"

_'Why did I follow them?'_ Rei asked herself, watching as Touji, Shinji, and Asuka ran like children from shelf to shelf grabbing items and tossing them into the basket she had somehow gotten stooped into pushing.

Touji stopped running for a second as he stared at the box of rice-a-roni in his hand. "The San Francisco treat? Where the hell is San Francisco?"

Asuka walked passed him on her way to the basket. "America." she answered, half-heartily.

Touji placed the box back where he got it.

"Oh, I just got this neat idea!" Shinji exclaimed. "How about I grab a bunch of stuff and when we get home I'll see what I can whip up and make us all some good o'l real food?"

Asuka started nodding while jumping from one foot to the next. "Oooh, ooh, and then we can make shakes and cookies."

"Uh-hun, uh-hun!" Shinji agreed, the excitement evident in his face and tone.

"And then we can make food from other countries?"

Shinji nodded again. "Uh-hun, uh-hun!"

Asuka suddenly stopped jumping and her expression turned flat. "I was already going to make you do that."

Shinji would have face faulted if he didn't know it would hurt.

"Oooo, burned, she got you good, Shin-man."

_'Yes, the Second Child did execute that well.'_

-----------

Maya had stopped screaming with happiness and now was just crying her eyes out. Makoto was kneeling and patting her on the back. An old lady just so happen to be passing by to see the scene and being old she was naturally noisy.

"Ooooh, what's wrong sweety?" she asked, bending over as much as she could.

Makoto glanced at her over his shoulder and then looked back at Maya. "Oh, we lost the Children."

The woman mistaking the code name 'Children' for their actual children gasped. "Oh, dear, do you want me to go get security while you gather your wife?"

Makoto sweatdropped. "Ugh....."

Just at that moment another woman, this one a bit younger than the other, came trotting along. She stopped just as the previous one did. "What's going on? Is she all right?"

"It's just horrible!" the old woman exclaimed. "They've lost their children!"

The younger woman glared at Maya and Makoto. "How could you lose your children!? You neglectful, horrible people!"

Makoto shook his head and hands while grinning nervously. "No...no...you have it all wrong. They're not our kids. We're not even married!"

His comment did not help the situation. It only made both women's eyes widen in shock and narrow at the two.

"You lost someone else's kids!?" they shouted.

Makoto started to shake his head, but then stopped. "Well, yeah, we did, didn't we?"

Maya lifted her tear streaked face. "And what a glorious day it is!"

"You horrible, horrible people!" gasped the old woman.

The younger woman pulled out her cell phone. "I'm calling the police!"

Shrieking Makoto jumped to his feet. "No! Please no! I mean we're going to go find them right now. Besides they're big kids, I'm sure they're just fine."

"And....look!" started the distressed young woman, pointing at the unconscious Kensuke that was hidden behind Makoto. "You've knocked him out."

The older woman shook her finger at the two techs. "You horrible, horrible people!"

Makoto hung his head low. Maya was still filled with too much bliss to even comprehend the situation she was in.

-----------

_Ten Minutes Later...._

"Ibuki! Hyuuga!" Shigeru screamed as he stomped down the aisle looking for his two bridge crew members. "Where the hell are you?"

"I still don't see how they managed to get in trouble." Hikari said, shaking her head.

"Anything's possible." Kaworu replied with a shrug.

"Hey there they are!" shouted a gleeful black haired boy as he slide into aisle.

"Touji?" Hikari and Kaworu chorused.

"Class Rep, Nagisa," Touji looked at Aoba. "Ugh...guy that makes sure my eva works."

"Aoba." he growled.

"Right, Aoba." Touji repeated. "Well, anyways, we're glad we found you 'cause we're all ready to go and the other two are no where to be seen."

There was a dark gleam in Shigeru's eyes as he turned to follow Touji.

_'So they decided to dump the whole lot of em on me, eh? I'll get both of them when this is over.'_

Exiting the aisle brought Shinji, Asuka, and Rei into view. Shinji and Rei were both pushing baskets full of food while Asuka was leaning against a shelf reading a magazine.

"Found em'!" Touji exclaimed.

Asuka looked up, tossed aside her magazine and grunted. "Finally. Took you long enough."

Shigeru looked at their two baskets and then at the one Hikari was pushing. "Do I have enough for all of this?"

"You better!" Asuka warned.

"Where's Maya and Makoto?"

He received blank stares from each of the them. Frowning at the lack of respect these kids had to even bother to try and remember his and his friend's names he tried again.

"The other two? Where are they?"

"Ooooooh!" came the collective reply.

"Their last whereabouts were in the canned food aisle." Rei answered.

"Where Wondergirl decided to try and kill us!" Asuka happily added.

Kaworu quirked an eyebrow while Hikari gasped in surprise.

"Ayanami! You didn't!?" Hikari managed through her surprise.

"I did not try to eliminate all of you." Rei corrected.

Kaworu smirked. "But you admit trying to eliminate someone."

"And poor Kensuke was the one that got eliminated." Touji explained, shaking his head at his fallen friend in the now dubbed 'Death By Canned Food'.

Shigeru decided that he did not want to know more than that and stopped Touji before he could go into the story by his next comment. "Well, anyways, let's see if I can pay for this."

_Five minutes of waiting in line later...._

The cashier smiled when she saw Shigeru walk up. He smiled back and then turned to the kids.

"All right guys get in position." He announced.

You see in those five minutes of waiting Shigeru appointed everyone a job. Touji and Asuka were to send the stuff down while Rei and Hikari bagged and handed the bags off to Shinji and Kaworu who would then load them in the basket. He did this for two reasons. 1) He didn't want to do it himself and 2) If the kids were busy they were less likely to wander off.

The cashier was no longer smiling. In fact she was about close to fainting. She chuckled as she looked at Shigeru and he smiled in a apologetic fashion.

-----------

Another ten or so minutes went by and Shigeru discovered the money he had was more than enough. Apparently NERV just handed them over large wades of cash and probably didn't count it. So Shigeru with six children set out of the grocery store. Because of the impeccably neat way the baskets were set up each one of the kids had a basket to be pushed.

Shigeru took a deep breath as they exited the store and coughed it out when he saw the scene in front of him.

"What the hell!?"

"Cool." Touji exclaimed and laughed. "The other two are getting arrested!"

Indeed that was the scene in front of their very eyes. Makoto and Maya were being forcefully dragged to the police cars awaiting them.

"We...we didn't do anything!" Makoto cried.

The officer holding him only pushed him harder. "Then why'd we get a call saying that you two beat a kid, which we have proof of and then lost someone else's kids?"

"You act like they're five year olds. They're plenty old to wander around by themselves." he argued.

"Although we rarely do." Kaworu grumbled, glancing in the direction of the ever present section-2 agents that guarded the Children.

"It wasn't my fault! One of them tried to kill me!" Maya exclaimed. "I swear it. I've got witnesses!"

The officers laughed and pushed the two in the car. "Yea like some kid's gonna try and kill you."

"Umm...Mr. Aoba, maybe we should help them." Shinji said.

Shigeru looked at him first in amazement that he remembered his name then with a evil glean in his eyes.

"Ahh, let em' rot for a day. NERV'll bail them out tomorrow." With that he set off for the car waving happily at the two techs as he did.

"Now there's just one thing left unanswered." Hikari started, searching the area. "Where's Aida?"

And to answer her question Kensuke came stumbling from behind a wall, an ice pack on the spot the canned collided with his head.

"Rei, my love, I know you didn't mean that and just remember I still love you." was the first thing he said.

And everyone but Rei groaned and rolled their eyes at him. Rei was a little too busy to do this for she was searching the basket she was pushing for something.

Hikari noticed this out of the corner of her eye. "What are you looking for Ayanami?" she inquired her eyebrows creased in confusion.

Rei abruptly stopped her search and placed her hands behind her back. "Nothing, Class Representative Horaki." She replied, calmly.

Hikari was about to counter that Rei was indeed looking for something but decided she didn't want to get on the bad side of the pilot of Unit-Zero.

Shigeru walked back up to the now seven children. "Hey, c'mon! We can't stay here all day, some of that food'll spoil."

And with that he set off with the children in tow this time. Makoto and Maya were banging on the police car window, pleading for help but only got glances and chuckles from some of the children and a cheesy grin from Shigeru.

And on that day Makoto and Maya swore revenge of all eight of them.

-End Day Three-

1. 

Anyone else but me find this new quick edit program annoying. How come I lost my scene separators. I had to do this four times! Four freakin' times I hate having to do things over and over. I get frustrated and then I stop and that's the end of it for awhile.


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